morning long, you've seen david gregory and savannah guthrie. chuck todd is at the white house standing by. david, your overarching theme for today? >> well, i think the president is looking forward to a second term. he's operating in darcha differ atmosphere than tour years ago. he was making history by walking into the room. here, he's going to be talking about economic restoration. he's dealing in a capital that is still toxic in terms of how things get done. and he knows the american people have returned to office with a solid majority, but he knows that americans want compromise, they want less government spending, they want this town to operate better than it does. >> one note here for parents whose children are home today, a holiday from school, we're going to be on the air for many hours and if i might, have them stop by and sit in front of the tv and watch this. because especially coming off this political season, and with all the troubles we've witnessed

as a nation, this is the -- kind of the best of america in action. this is something we do well and this is a living history lesson today. yes, all of us who are here to cover it love this sort of thing and wouldn't miss it for the world, but this is how an interest in history and politics can get kindled at a young age. and it's one of the great spectacles available for free from home. savannah guthrie, i heard someone say this past week that this time around, four years later, the highs are not so high and the lows are not so low, meaning yes, the crowd won't number 2 million. the history of this administration has already been made. but also the economy isn't in a fr fr freefall. it doesn't feel as dire as it did. >> as you mentioned, this is one of these moments. this is one of the symbols that we who love this democracy cherish so much. the president using this

opportunity. we talk about the big moments in a presidency. this is one of them. i'm told this is an inaugural address that will be forceful and will be short. this is a president who has had to change in office, perhaps down scale his ambitions on that goal he set out four years ago about changing the culture of washington. that is the unfinished business. but he meets at this hour with the bipartisan congressional leaders of congress. a symbol of bipartisanship when so many americans want to see the reality of bipartisanship. four more years, so the constitution says he gets here, but the political calendar is a lot shorter. he has a finite amount of time to get what he wants to get done done. >> chuck todd is standing by at the white house. our chief political correspondent, our political director, and he's in front of the viewing stand which is across pennsylvania avenue, across the borders on lafayette

mark. chuck, how has this president changed in these four years as you've witnessed it go by? >> well, i thought david put it well. sort of he's had to dial back maybe some of his own personal ambitions about what he hoped to bring to the presidency and particular by changing the town a little bit. but what was interesting that i thought we found in our last poll, our nbc/wall street journal poll is we saw a couple of things that he still has a likability factor here that rivals ronald reagan, right? and it's very similar to that. but more people disapprove of his policies than approve of them. and so when you look at that, he's mindful of that a little bit. he's got a power to persuade when you have those kind of likability numbers. but at the same time, the public is sort of screaming at all of washington to do what savannah was talking about. and when we asked him wa kihat of message you want to send, he said fix this economy, create jobs and is for gosh sakes, compromise. i'm told in this anaugural

address, he's going to be pragmatic of hope and is change rather than the full scale high level expectations you had four years ago, brian. >> and, chuck, these are speeches for the ages, the long view. but how much of current events do you think will be in it? we were speculating last night about two things in particular, number one, gun violence and the need, as the president sees it, to attack that as an issue quickly and, number two, we're going to be introducing doris kearns goodwin later on. what is the chance he doesn't quote lincoln's second inaugural? >> i would be shocked if lincoln is not quoted. i would be shocked if specific issues aren't mentioned. that doesn't mean he isn't going to talk about newtown. but as far as talking about guns and gun control, he's got a state of the union in three weeks. advisers continue to remind us

of that. hey, this is not a laundry list of things he wants to get done. yes, he has a small window. i think savannah is right, i think we'll be able to judge by the fourth of july of this year, has he gotten one of his gun proposals passed through congress, is immigration done? all of those things, if he can get them done, probably need to get done by the summer. but today's speech knot for that. that's that state of the union which takes place in three weeks. >> all right. chuck todd in front of reviewing stand. we want to show you, especially those just joining us the kind of calendar of events, the schedule upcoming. right now, the president is hosting congressional leaders inside the white house for a kind of traditional can't we get along nonpartisan coffee. when we move along to the reviewing stands, here is

roughly the way things will go. starting at 11:30, we'll hear from senator schumer of new york. we saw senator durbin of new york coming in during that last conversation. myrlie evers-williams will give the invocation. we'll hear if the brooklyn tabernacle choir. vice president biden will be sworn in. all of these swearings-in took place officially yesterday. james taylor will sing "america the beautiful." 11:55, and they hope to keep right to schedule, we'll see the president get sworn in by his chief justice. then we get into the entertainment shank of the program with kelly clark son, "my country tis of thee." beyonce yet to come. richard blanco will read his work of the day. and beyonce will play them into lunch, inside the capitol. lester holt is at the front of the capitol for us.

lester, crowd is filling in behind you back there. >> it sure is. what a spectacular vantage point we have. the marine band playing right now. some of the dignitaries and vips taking their seats, including the governs who are just over my shoulder. members of the senate and house will be on the stage, along with the president's cabinet. diplomatic dignitaries and two forms presidents, president carter and clinton will be here, both president bushs will not be ascending this inauguration. things, as you say, should get under way about 11:30. the president and vice president will be introduced sometime after 11:00. we would expect them to take their seats near the front of the stage. the families, of course, will be with them. what is more stunning than the view behind me is the view that the president will have as he looks up the mall at thousands and thousands of people. while the numbers may be smaller than what he saw last year, we

know that's stunning a view as you see here to address a crowd of this magnitude before him on a winter's day here. not as pleasant as it was yesterday. in fact, in those vip seats behind me, there are neatly folded blue -- look like very thick blankets for all the guests who will be on the stage here. and they will likely need them. but folks are also crowding here, the invited guests. just on this side of the west front. so all is ready here for the second inauguration of the president, brian. >> yeah, lester, as you and i noted yesterday's afternoon high was 61 degrees. we saw people walking around washington without overcoats. it was not to last. it was nice while it did last. winter has arrived today, as al roker noted, all morning. we could have a snow shower this afternoon along the parade route. we're going to continue to look at these pictures of vip arrivals. while we're there, secretary of homeland security and other

members of the cabinet, it appears. let's go to andrea mitchell who has a good vantage point on this crowd filling in. >> it's a great vantage point. we look out, and as lester says, it may be a second inauguration and a smaller crowd, but i can see people all the way to the washington monument. i have one of those blue blankets, by the way. this is perfect inauguration day weather. as you noted earlier, the kids should stay home and watch. this is history being made. i walked out through the capital earlier. just the sense of excitement when you see -- i walked the path the president will take. when you see this panorama in front of you, he's going to be optimistic. he's going to be hopeful. he's going to be more pragmatic as chuck todd said. also note, he's going to be taking that oath, the reenactment of the oath on two bibles. one is martin luther king jr.'s traveling bible. that's significant being -- for all of the historic reasons, also his official day today and

also the lincoln bible. you've got all of those great notes from history. also looking forward as to the real accomplishments he hopes in the first year to 18 months. after that, it does become a lame duck situation. right now, it's about a lot more hope than speaking about the end of the second term. >> andrea, since we're talking to you all morning, i'm wondering if your camera can pull all the way back and give us some perspective on how tightly we are focused in and how long a shot it is and exactly where you are in relation to the -- wow. this is like where is waldo. keep your eye on andrea mitchell. there she is. you thought she had good seats. she's up in section 311a. >> some of those will cost you a couple hundred dollars. andrea mitchell, thank you. we'll be relying on you for the sense of the crowd as we go along. we want a preview of this. the motorcade route, the parade route after the formality of

today, after lunch when, as is traditional, the president and the motorcade make their way back to the white house. every -- just about every president since jimmy carter has gotten out and hoofed it for at least part of the distance. our modern security age has placed some restrictions on that. let it be said that the city feels like a bit of a police state these last two days. erica hill is standing by at the newly renamed freedom plaza. erica, is everything locked down in advance of that behind you? >> it is fairly locked down. there is security to get into the area, brian. there have been a number of police officers, the park service police out all morning long going up and ask down. he would seen police, motorcycles, vehicles coming up and down. appearing to just sort of check on what's going on. people are, though, now starting to trickle into the area, to get their way into the stands here at freedom plaza. >> all right. willie geist is at the navy

memorial. if you consider erica as our closest correspondent to when they make the turn at the white house, this puts willie a little closer to the capitol. good morning. >> good morning, brian. i'm about at the halfway point in this 1.2 mile stretch of road that takes us from the white house to the capital. just a few minutes when he comes this from that coffee with congressional leaders, he'll zip up, not as at parade speed, but with a motorcade up to the capital. we'll see him back later this afternoon on the walk. this position at the navy memorial, notable because four years ago, this is the exact spot where the president did get out and walk. some people strategically positioning themselves. we talked to them in the crowd hoping they may see him again. we have no idea where he will, but we understand he'll get out of the car a couple of times over the course of this parade, brian. >> willie, did i hear you say on the "today" show those are utah

state troopers behind you? >> utah. we have alabama state troopers back here. this is one of the cool things of the men and women in uniform. these people have traveled all the way across the country to provide a bit of security on this stretch of the parade. >> a bit of security. no one has been able to move around this city for at least 48 hours. they're ready for this event. natalie morales is further on down the road, fourth and constitution is her camera location. natalie, what is happening where you are? >> good morning, brian. this is sort of the staging area where the parade route begins. officially from the capitol building, the president and the first lady will make their way down back to the white house. this is really the start. we're not seeing so much activity yet just with the parade. but that's going to happen, as you know, around 2:30 eastern time. we are, as you see, noting the police presence. we have a lot of police here from frederick, maryland, as well. we are seeing protesters here near our location, too.

obviously, a constant presence here. we are seeing crowds starting to trickle into our location. again, very organized and orderly this year. we've talked a lot about the size of the crowd that we saw four years ago, about 2 million. you're not going to see that this year. maybe about 500,000 to 700,000. but even so, as i walked my way over here from the studio where you are, brian, i saw a lot of enthusia enthusiasm. a lot of people out there selling their wares, as well. people looking for good souve r souvenirs, you can find just about everything along the way. a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of hope, i think, that something can happen in these four years. andrea. >> and natalie, i have to say to your last point, having been on the streets this morning four years ago versus today, i was astounded at how much merchandise was being sold outside. there is a huge marketing angle to this as we see the coach, the brother of the first lady, craig robinson, arriving.

we are joined and so happy to be joined by historian and author doris kearns goodwin. author of "team of rivals" which -- and here is -- steven spielberg reads your book says, wouldn't this make a dandy movie sthp this guy, lincoln, has such an interesting story. they see if the tall actor is available from the uk, he was able to make it and the rest is history. it's my guess that we might hear something from lincoln's second inaugural terribly off the mark? >> i don't know. there's no question that lincoln's beauty of language is something that everybody reaches for. but the more important thing for an inaugural is for the words to create action. people felt confident and everything is all right, you're going to be there. when jfk said ask not what you can do for your country, blah, blah, blah, thousands of people joined the peace corps. it seems to me in his victory

speech, obama talked about citizens needing to mobilize, not just vote, to keep acting. the only way he gets anything done in congress is to bring pressure from the outside in. i think he has to use the bully pulpit to organize and he's creating some organization for action. that's the only way to get washington moving. and i think he's learned that. he said i need to communicate, i need to keep the country mobilized. if the words produce action, if that majority coalition is behind him and puts pressure on these characters in congress, maybe there will be auction. >> doris, while we've been talking, we just saw the arrival of former president jimmy carter. sadly, we are absent both presidents bush, 41 and 43. 43 says he's home with his dad who is just getting out of that long hospitalization. but president carter will be here. president clinton will be here. for those of us who are history buffs, this has been a great period for having living former presidents among us. >> more than ever before. the president's club is such as

exclusive club and they can only share with each other what the experience was like to be president. and the fact that they've all spent a lot more time with each other, it's terrific. clinton and bush and carter and bush, they only know something that nobody else knows and i think they should spend more time with each other. so it's great that they're still alive. usually they're dead. that's the problem. that's the guys i write about, dead guys. >> a biographer's friend, but the enemy of those of us who enjoy the richness of their wisdom and having them around for events like this. so just to bring you up to speed, the congressional coffee has been going on at the white house. as that breaks up and as we get the president and his party up to capitol hill, as you look at two former white house chiefs of staff arriving and the dignitaries start streaming in on capitol hill, we will squeeze in a break here and we'll be back to take you the rest of the way as nbc news continuing

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the delicious way to help them grow up strong. we are back. when they say the crowd is filling in, we mean it this time. a few alive four years ago will forget the sight when the crowd started waving when we were under way and we realized the sheer size of the crowd, the number of americans who had come to this capital city to see barack obama inaugurated the first time. while we won't equal that number

today, we will have a substantial crowd. and this is a new addition to the washington mall and the washington monument since that last time. the martin luther king jr. monument. nbc's ron mott has been down there for us. and this will play a particularly poignant role on this martin luther king day. good morning. >> good morning to you. last night, i had a chance to visit with myrlie evers-williams. we talked about a number of things last night, but particularly the thrill she said she got when she was called to come and give the inr rinvocati here at the inauguration. she does so with the first avenue can american president of this country on a holiday named in honor of martin luther king jr. who like mickers evers gave

his life for freedom. we talked about trying to promote his legacy. it's been a tough journey. here is how she described it. >> it's been difficult, but it's worked. because when you remove yourself from the anger and the bitterness and you focus on the positive, and you search for the meaning, for the anger and the hatred that took this man's life, you either sink to that level or you ride above it all. >> she has risen above it all. she is bell here, we think, about 11:35. she says she's very excited about it, brian. >> ron mott as the crowd begins to gather for this second inaugural, thank you very much.

doris kearns goodwin, we mentioned it's a new addition since four years ago. if you look at the geography, the president is really going to be facing the reverend martin luther king jr. when he gives the speech. something we'll be discussing later with john lewis. it's an added emotional contact. >> absolutely. the civil rights movement created the possibility for barack obama to become president and i think he's ever mindful of that. i think that's where that community organizing comes in him. he knows that communities create the power. you think about the gay rights movement, the civil rights movement, the women's movement, this is all part of who he is and i think it's part of american history. when i look at american history, those movements are critical in transforming our attitudes about ourselves and about one another. and that's where real change takes place. lincoln said, you control public sentiment, controls everything. even if they can't control my

voice. >> sometimes when historians try to speak too much in the course of one inaugural weekend, this is what happens. we're going to allow doris rest her voice for a second. you saw when we were talking a motorcade and you'd be forgiven for thinking there's the president on the move from the white house. it was not. first of all, you can't swing a dead cat without hit ago motorcade this weekend in washington. that was just the congressional leadership heading back to the capital from the white house after coffee. just massive numbers of hulking suvs on every street. you never know who they're carrying. but that is who is inside and is they're going back into temporarily the warm confines of their offices before they head back outside on the west front. and speaking of myrlie evers-williams, she under military escort is now making her way to her better than average seat for today's

swearing-in. jen that bush hager has joined our team this morning. we saw you talk about the letter that the bush girls left the obama girls. that was a nice thing you did back then. >> well, you know, obviously, we come from a small group of women and men -- i can't leave you out, as well. >> thank you. >> but men who have had the privilege of living history and is we never lived in the white house, but we have presidents as fathers and it's a small group. i really wanted to make sure that we passed on any knowledge. we didn't have much, but just to really enjoy these years because they go by so fast. as we see, the last four years have gone by so fast. we were at the last inauguration and i was teaching at the time in west baltimore and i remember what it meant for me as a teacher who taught in mainly an african-american school to watch our first avenue can american president be sworn in. >> and by the way, for those of

us who love all our former presidents and believe they should be here on a day like this, we, too, are missing your dad and your grandfather. and we know they have a choice in live coverage and we know who they're going to be watching today. >> i know. >> we're sorry they can't be with us, but we are awfully glad that we are guaranteed which network they'll be watching. >> i'm sad they couldn't be here, too, but of course, they're watching, i'm sure, from home and cheering on the president. >> and david gregory, part of the history we get to witness is knowing that we've been here for all of this. her grandfather, her father and the long line continues. >> and it's so interesting, too, because jenna and i were talking this morning about these stations in your own life as you come along and is go through these big historic moments. and you and your sister were so gracious in that spotlight and as the obama girls have been, too. and it's so nice to credit the first family for doing so well

by their children to keep them out of the spotlight, even when people are not as gracious and generous towards their children. you and your sister and the oh bam in girls and others carry themselves so well into the world. that is something that i really celebrate about this -- >> we may have had a little -- a couple mix-ups as opposed to -- >> we weren't going to bring it up. >> you remember trying to be kind. i think one of the things that my parents did and the obamas is letting them grow up as normal as you can be. we also had this conversation, dave and i did this morning, that our parents taught us that we could all disagree. it doesn't have to all be about politics. on that day, that's what it was. watching your father or your grandfather being sworn in to such a high office is a privilege and we were proud as a granddaughter and as a daughter. >> and savannah, all three of us having covered the white house,

the first family often makes it clear, look, this is off limits. these are our kids, we're trying to raise kids in this heinous media environment, this fish bowl, and we would appreciate it if you could, in effect, not report some of what you know and look away and most of us have been especially especially those of us who are parents, happy to abide by those rules. >> mrs. obama spent the first few months telling everybody i'm mom in chief. that is my job. it is possible to raise children in this incredibly intense spotlight and have them come out and be wonderful people and by all accounts, sasha and malia are having that experience, too. it's something that mrs. obama has talked about recently. i think i read a quote she said she's pleasantly surprised at how normal they are. so much so that the president notes they're not that interested in hanging out with

him any more. this is a family enterprise. it's not the normal job where the parents and the children aren't connected through this. they have to go through this political experience. it's an incredibly intense spotlight. but by all accounts, these girls are flourishing. >> and i think about all of our friends coming in from texas and yale and sharing it with friends and i'm sure that's what the obama girls will do, too. so it becomes part of your life, part of what you would do, anyway, except for more people don't have a father that is the president. >> and there's a great humbling part of this, too. i'm sure you made fun of your dad. when the obama girls said you did it, no mistakes. they're waiting to make fun of him. >> and he let that moment pass without a hook em horns, so well

done. >> we'll take a break from our coverage as we watch more and more of the dignitaries arrive while we've been talking. we'll get more into that when we come right back. it's strange, i'm getting gray, but kate -- still looks like...kate. nice'n easy with colorblend technology gives expert highlights and lowlights. for color that's true to you. i don't know how she does it. with nice'n easy, all they see is you.

we are back. that's a live picture. can you tell, they just distributed american flags to a large portion about midway through the crowd. and that is looking now from the capitol down the mall to the lincoln memorial. i was down there yesterday. two distinguishing elements, number one, you're truck by the amount of plastic.

they have just put new grass down across much of the mall. so there's an artificial floor for all the people to stand on. and this segment is plastic. acres and acres of plastic under foot. there are also big screen tvs and speakers hanging from lamp posts at pretty good intervals. i think it's safe to say that people who are a long, long distance away from the capital will still be made to feel a part of today's ceremony. as we mentioned, the congressional leadership has departed from the white house and will stay on this camera, as we've been told. we can expect members of the president's traveling party and the first family to walk across th highly polished floor on their way to the waiting motorcade. while we wait, our white house

correspondent chuck todd across at the reviewing stand. chuck, how long were the congressional leaders in the white house in all, do you think? >> it looks like not quite 30 minutes, maybe 30, maybe a little more than 30 minutes. it was very ceremonial. you know, brian, and i'm sure you know this, if hrp a first inaugural, it would have been the outgoing president and incoming president and first families interacting, having a coffee together. for second inaugurals, you bring the congressional leadership in. be very much ceremonial. spouses were there. this was not a time for getting business. what's been interesting, you talked about all these crowds. there are parade-goers, parade audience out here in the stands. if you realize, the parade is not going to be here for more than 4 1/2 hours. they have been trying to keep themselves warm by singing various songs. some may seem very appropriate, "america the beautiful," but

then i heard "we are the champions" and "ymca." they've been doing anything they can to stay warm. >> chuck, do you have a problem with queen and the village people being represented on a day like this? >> when it comes to the 70s and rocking de ing discos, you'll g argument from me. >> you see the marines taking their place from outside the door. we cut away briefly to see members of the senate going to their seats, including the man expected to be the next secretary of state, john kerry, from massachusetts. if they seem dressed fairly lightly, there are some regional -- there's john mccain, dianne feinstein, there's some regional heaters in that area. there are blankets provided, as we heard. andrea mitchell is there. we'll keep alternating between this camera and the white house doorway so we don't miss a

thing. and andrea, you're seeing the senate leadership fill in. >> yeah. just as senator kerry is coming in and some of the other senators, let me give you an idea of the schedule. there will be a change of power at the state department, as you know, on wednesday of this week. hillary clinton is going before the senate and the house. she's going to be here today in her role both as a former first lady and as the secretary of state. she's going to be testifying on benghazi on wednesday. on thursday before the committee that he chairs still, senator kerry will be introduced by secretary clinton for his confirmation hearing. we're told then that the vote on senator kerry as secretary of state is expected to glide through. next tuesday, that will take place. and wednesday, there will be the change of power, change ofr command at the state department. brian. >> as we -- as you were talking, we watched al franken. he, of harvard and snl fame, these days a u.s. senator will

make his way down. there's the newest senator from massachusetts, al franken made his way down to his seat. we continue to watch the doorway across town at the white house. this is all when it works well supposed to be coordinated. so that when we get -- let's watch the vice president's family go down into the car. we'll get them loaded in and then the president's family will follow. we get everyone in their seats at the capitol. departures from the white house. will work out that way. rob portman from ohio, david gregory, this is part of the tradition, all of this. we're glued to our tv set here in the stud crow. but this is our business. >> this is our business. this is the president's business, too. this is part of the pageantry of the office and it's what makes

the presidency so special. on days like today have you believing in these institutions at a time when they're under fire because of lack of efficiency, for lack of a better term. but the president will seize this moment. not only as a historic figure, two-term president, first avenue can americ african-american president, but somebody who uses the day to do the best he can as part of a restart of the conversation of the american people and with official washington about what he thinks is the people's business. and his ability to influence public opinion. you spoke of that about doris kearns goodwin. that matters a great deal. >> there's the first lady. there has been, to be perfectly honest, about as much talk about her new haircut on her 49th birthday this week as much as any other part of this inauguration. where two or more people are gathered in this city, the conversation eventually comes

around to what do you think of the bangs? what do you think of the first lady's new do? >> it's all you men will talk about. >> i showed my wife on my iphone. i like it. >> i did the same thing. what else are we going to talk about? michael beschloss, get us off of this subject and on to -- >> historian of hair. >> historian michael beschloss will be with us the rest of the day today. we're sitting here watching these two polls of washington, the congressional part of it as they arrive and waiting for the president's departure. there has not been a lot of comingling. there have been complaints that this president, as we watched the vice president now depart, the white house, there's been some complaints the president hasn't pulled an lbj and had members of congress over, hasn't been the schmoozer in chief.

not his style. >> not his style. lbj probably for 24 hours was not himself unless he called a member of congress and said what are you doing? lying in president, mr. president, just waiting for your call. i think you won't quite see a story like that during barack obama's period, but it's one reason why this ceremony is heaven-sent. because the founders wanted there to be unifying ceremonies like this that would bring the presidency and the congress together. james madison founded -- invented them so it would be in conflict, there would never be a dictator. but a day like this is sort of like the end of the play that after the contentious merit, all of the actors come out on stage and hold hands and bow. it doesn't happen often in american history. it doesn't happen often in the president's term. at this moment, it's a god send. >> and escorted by senator schumer of new york, here is the president.

of course, if there were an outgoing president today and an incoming president, the peaceful transition of power, as we like to call it, sometimes euphemistically, this would be the often chilly ride between victor and vanquished all the way from the white house to the capitol. but since this is a continuation and not a transition, the president's roommate and, believe me, in that car, you feel like you're in a small apartment and not a moving vehicle. it really is air tight. will be the chairman of the festivities, senator schumer from new york. michael, if it had been the other way, some of those drives have been chilly. >> pretty chilly. maybe roosevelt and hoover an example of that.

franklin roosevelt had been elected by a landslide in 1932 over president hoover who was considered to be responsible for the great depression and roosevelt was a great schmoozer. finally, they reduced to looking at the super structure of thing it was the commerce department that was being built and roosevelt said, lovely steel. that was sort of the end of the conversation. the rest of the ride they went in silence. this happens much too often, but not on a second term. >> and david gregory, about a two-mile drive. >> and you remember in the modern era, george w. bush -- the language plate is -- >> yeah, the license plate just for a second here is a story. it's a -- kind of a protest legal local license plate here in washington, d.c. taxation without representation. the president has opted to use them on all the limousines. >> and that always comes up for presidents. >> d.c. has a delegate, a

nonvoting member of congress. >> george w. bush met president clinton and they got along famously. they were swapping stories and how bush raised the sector of the shadow returns every time clinton would try to campaign for al gore. so that was chummier. and they kept on a pretty good relationship. >> you don't have to look that far back. in 2008, you had george w. bush and president-elect obama riding over together. while i think the obamas were pleasantly surprised as how smooth the transition was, how the bush administration bent over backward toes make sure there was a smooth transition of power, obama had run against bush and the bush policies and to this day talked about the bush policies and rails against them. so that was quite a ride, as well. >> erica hill is not far from where about two more turns is going to bring them past her location. they're kind of coming the back way. you saw them come out past the

side of the treasury department, past the old riggs bank building, the dnc bank building. erica, we should be near you. >> yes, they are making their way near us, brian. we just saw them turn the corner to start making their way down past freedom plaza. i can see all the people in the stands, you can see them immediately. they popped up, put their phones, their ipads up, all hoping to catch a glimpse of the president as he comes by. they are making their way down, of course, towards the capital. and we are watching as they approach freedom plaza at this point. this plaza as you mentioned earlier renamed freedom plaza in honor of martin luther king jr. added significance on this holiday. and we should point out in a time capsule that is buried here, was buried here in 1988 includes one of martin luther ki king's bible. the president using his traveling bible for the

swearing-in ceremony. and you see them now making their way down. they pass the people along the parade. thousands of people expected, of course, to line this route. many of them making their way in to find their seats. so they are ready when that parade takes off a little bit later. and here comes the cheers. >> erica hill at freedom plaza. next up, willie geist at the navy memorial. >> yeah, brian. you can see the president making his way down. the people who have been out here since the wee hours of this morning, very excited even just to catch this first glimpse, even if it is in full motorcade speed. tell me when you can see them. >> he's making his way down towards us right now. as i spoke to one gentleman, you can't overstate the excitement

who said, i missed the first inauguration, i wasn't going to miss this one. a lot of people very excited to see this president. the motorcade making its way towards us now. we're at the u.s. navy memorial, marks about the halfway point on this ride from this white house to the united states capitol. brian, he's passing in front of us right now to the excitement of the people here behind me. >> willie geist whose height and physical size blocks the few of no fewer than 200 people, no doubt. willie, is the limousine up to you yet? >> yes, it is. here it comes right now. the beast is right in front of us as we speak. >> so this is the part of -- if you're watching at home, this is the part of the day people usually don't preposition themselves to see. they end up seeing it almost by accident because they're getting in place for the later part of the day when they go back to the

white house. and everybody can get a good look. believe me, those security folks in washington are ready for this. it's a long shot from the capit capitol. as we look at these pictures, we have been joined by a friend of ours here in the studio. peggy nunan is with us. peggy, let's look at when this falls in our political life in this country. what an awful time we've had concerning these two parties getting along. the vitriol. you look at yesterday's sunday shows with all due respect to my friend, david gregory, who is sitting next to me. just the partisan attacks, talk about up to the water's edge. it continued until this morning. it will start back up again tonight. it doesn't take a break. >> oh, there will be a brief respite today, right now. i think we are -- >> is that right? >> yes. we are at the beginning of the

heart of it, i suppose. you know, i'm looking at these pictures with all of on you and i find this very moving. i find all inaugural weekends and inaugural events and especially inaugural addresses to be great opportunities for all of us to relax for a second. remember to appreciate what we have and how essentially we all get along, at least so far. i mean, part of what you're outlining, the great brick of that breast being thrown in washington. it is distinctive now. it has a distinctive sense. but it's also par for the usual in 200 years. >> it is something we do well. as i said, of course, it's not a peaceful transition today. it's a continuation today. it's a difficult guy. i was reading back some of our coverage that we had four years ago.

the question i asked four years agoinago anauguration day, is there any on this young man? we have watched him age so many years, he's gone through so much, a lot of pressure, a lot of people disappointed four years later. >> some. but he was just re-elected, you know? >> i noticed that. >> and we did not spend three days counting the votes in ohio or three weeks. so it is what it is. and i think he has something very big ahead of him, an inaugural address this afternoon in which he has the opportunity to make it all a little bit bigger and maybe locate the meaning of his leadership as he sees it. and that might be pretty interesting.

>> as you no doubt have witnessed, we're joined by a friend of ours out here. another friend of ours, general collin powell is with us. what do you make of today's pomp and ceremony and what i always say this nation does very well? >> i love it. i love it. i mean, it's one of those days, as all inauguration days are wherefore a moment you come together, celebrate the magic of our democratic system, the magic of the people deciding who the next leader is going to be. as peggy just said, he won rather decisively this time. but now the challenges are before him. and you mentioned the vitriol within our system. we've always had, you know, strong views opposing one another. our founding fathers did. and i think that's good. that's what democracy is all about. but ultimately, those strong views have to result in compromise or else where he don't get anywhere. and is so i hope beginning tomorrow we'll see a new level

of civility within our discussion, our political discussion and compromise. i noticed in the last few days, the republicans have made some offers with respect to the debt ceiling and i've seen some republicans talking about immigration reform. so maybe we are on a roll. but i wouldn't bet on it yet. >> i, too, noticed those offers on things like the debt ceiling. but, general, what you've -- there's the real first couple of new york and washington, d.c. beyonce and jay-z entering. that will get a lot of attention. we just missed james taylor coming down the stairs. general, there's just flat out hatred out there, too. there is nastiness out there in the land. there's nastiness between these two parties. there's the president and mrs. carter. how do we fix that? let's especially go to the republican party. they've got -- they've been -- they've been caucusing. they've been quite literally in retreat these past few days.

house republicans. what do they do to widen, if it is in their interests, widen their doorway to membership, to entry? >> well, as i've been saying and sat with david gregory the other day, the party is not where the american people have been in recent years. when you lose an election, you have 47% or 46% negative you better figure out what is wrong. for the last several weeks, a lot of people have been speaking to me. why didn't mitt romney win? and the answer is the party has not kept track of the demographic changes that are taking place in this country. 74% of his panics, 74% or 73%, one of those numbers, of asian americans and 94% of african-americans did not vote for a republican ticket. i would worry about that because of the coming of the majority nation. and so i think the party has to take a look at itself and see if it's keeping up with the demographic changes in our

society as well as societal changes. society is changing. and the republican party has not been keeping up with it. and if you dare to say that, then you're violating the orthodoxy of the party and you find yourself attacked. a lot of republicans have come up to me in the last week and said we agree with you, but we're not going to say anything because they don't want to give a sound bite that will be used against them in 2014 or 2016. but i sense that the american people understand that and most of the republicans that i know understand that the party has to take a look at itself. it doesn't want to change. it can stay where it is and i think it will continue to lose elections. >> and if you don't think american society is changing, as we've been watching pictures of members of the first family, the supreme court, justice breyer with his distinctive hat, that's been a big change in the american juris prudence in the last few years. there's vice president biden. we saw dr. jill biden just a few moments ago.

happy day for joe biden to go through this again. and then the motorcade has snaked its way under the underground entry. the president is out of the car. and awaiting to join us with senator schumer there, his trip director is telling him the lay of the land as he goes inside. what the next few steps will be, all of it laid out and choreographed. and with the secret service going on in advance, here comes the president in the underground entrance of the u.s. capitol. we may not have a microphone allowed underground. the color guard. >> thank you.

>> everything okay? great. >> and they'll take a few elevators. it will take more than one elevator to get that group to the next level. lester holt is at the west front. lester, how are things looking out there now? >> well, it -- the crowd is quite expected. they've seen some of the scenes you've just shown on the jumbotron. you see the crowd reacting now as we see president clinton and secretary state clinton now as they make their way towards the red draped entranceway. brian, it's interesting to watch some of the most powerful people in the world get on this platform and they pull out, like everybody else, they pull out their cell phones and they stand at the edge and they take pictures. we saw justin sotomayor a moment

ago. there is something magical about this moment and folks who do their business in this building on a regular basis can't help playing tourist in their own town today as we get ready for this moment. and now the presentation of the colors about to take place. >> andrea mitchell, we're sitting here in the studio with the former secretary of state. as we watch secretary of state hillary clinton come out there, you have covered her for years. we also await the carters as the colors are presented. can you give folks some idea of how exhausting hillary clinton's time in office has been. >> it has been completely exhausting. and, you know, she's traveled almost a million miles, gone to 110 or 111 countries and would have gone to more if she had not fallen ill. and that was possibly an effect

not just of the stomach virus, but of the fact that they were going all out, just trying to get as much accomplished. so there is some frustration. she will be testifying on benghazi and that is very difficult, of course, wa we expect on wednesday. but as we wait for the color guard to continue and the national anthem, i think it's going to be a big transition to john kerry as secretary of state, a very different kind of diplomate. but very, very experienced. >> ladies and gentlemen, the 39th president of the united states, jimmy carter and mrs. rosalyn carter.

♪ 6/. >> 43 is not attending because of the health and recovery of 41. jimmy carter is senior man here today among former living presidents. a man of remarkable stamina, good health and fitness who has just kept going since he left the white house. say nothing of his wife, rosalyn carter, and early, early and is strong advocate for mental health during her time as first lady. a subject that for all the wrong reasons in our modern history has come right back around to

the national conversation and, general powell, this is part of what we were talking about. this is part of the warmth we feel for former leaders of all parties being able to sit on the same stand. >> absolutely. the 57th time this will happen. a remarkable place. there are few countries on the face of the earth who can see this peaceful transition of power over and is over and over again. when and when when foreigners look at us, see us carrying you and fighting with each other and is then they say, somehow that system works. and one thing i'm sure of is that ultimately we ladies and gentlemen in power had better reflect the will of the people. it's the people that they are representing and is they better never forget it. >> we'll end on a powerful note from a powerful man as the clintons were being told. general, i can't believe this is true, but i am told you have

other responsibilities. thank you for coming by and talking to us. >> thank you, guys. >> william jefferson clinton and secretary of state hillary rod hamm h ham clinton. >> hi. how are you? >> god bless you. >> the man who made this walk twice, his own swearing in and much speculation as to whether his wife, the secretary of state, will make the walk herself. she is just getting over an enormous health challenge, a severe illness, led to a fall,

led to a concussion, led to a blood clot problem and a brief hospitalization. she has really crisscrossed the globe several times. commonly agreed to as having the most exhausting job in washington. savannah, i don't think there is any comparison and not only does she travel more than any other official, elected or non. the job of secretary of state does not have the full trappings of the presidency or the comforts or the surroundings. so it's just a lot of grueling travel. >> you surely refer to the pull out couch that's on the plane. she rides around and traveling to all those countries. she is the definition of tireless. one of her aides was quoted as saying when she had this blood clot that he felt sorry for the blood clot for having come up against hillary rodham clinton. now all the speculation circles around here. and dare we speak of the year 2016 on this day, but what the

heck, we're in this business. in many ways, the democratic party is frozen in place until she decides what she would like to do with her future, something that if you talk to people very close to her or talk to her yourself, you know she does not know yet. i think what she's got in mind right now is a little r&r, maybe some pajamas, maybe some more of the napping she's so famous for on those long flights. >> michael beschloss. >> as you know, early in american history, if you wanted to be president, the steppingstone was not vice president, but secretary of state, beginning with jefferson and madison. that was the job that you really wanted if you wanted to run the next time. and in the last year since 1932 the, almost every vice president wanted to run for vice president. we may see both in 2016, vice president biden possibly running against former secretary of state clinton 37. >> this is just -- looking at the face necessary this crowd, at one point, i saw leon panetta just back from europe, his european trip interrupted by the horrible terrorist attack in

algeria. there he is. just saw a combination of three past obama chiefs of staff. david gregory, it's all a government is compacted there in a couple of square yards. >> they're all there and they've all got a lot on their minds, beyond the meaning of this day. if you were part of this administration and you're thinking about the president's ability to use this incredible platform to begin to get at what peggy said, and i wrote it down, as he try toes locate the meaning of his leadership. i think this is the critical day to try to do that. there's some thinking about 2016. vice president biden was sworn in yesterday. who did he happen to invite? the governor of new hampshire. there's a political calendar here. >> it was lost on no one. >> especially the governor. >> chuck todd across at the white house, chuck, what have you learned about -- and let's

keep it broad and theme atticat what may be in some speech today. >> it will have some echos going back to on 2004 and the speech that then a state senator from illinois named barack obama gave at the democratic convention. so it's sort of echoing the same theme that launched his national career of this idea of trying to bring the country together. you remember that speech. there's no red america, there's not a -- you know, there's one god, there's not a red god wab blue god, things like that. and yet this has been the promise, the big promise he made about his '08 campaign in his 2009 inaugural that he hasn't been able to keep. the white house will say it's because those guys on the side of pennsylvania avenue that he's hanging around with right now, they haven't been able to -- have wanted to reach out on their end. but he's going to talk about the same issue, trying to bring america together, trying to cut through the gridlock that has been sort of hanging over us going back to that first speech he gave that made him so popular

in the first place. >> by the way, we're watching the biden family. carrying the pull out couch biden family bible under the arm of bo biden. they're coming out as erchblt the camera turns to the crowd, we get a lot of hearty ways. they'll come out first and members of the first family. peggy noonan, we say it so often, it's become an axiom. second terms are for legacies. >> yes. a second term is an attempt, i think, to sum up and add in a way some kind of coherence. it's not just a four-year piece, it's an eight-year epic. it can really tie things up and it can be quite difficult at the same time. you know it carries problems for the first term. >> as i asked you that question, we by happenstance have a

picture of president clinton who had his own troubles in the second term. external factors, internal factors can both affect it. there's beau biden. michael beschloss, no crystal ball for this thing as we sit here today. >> no, there isn't. and you hear all these stories about this difficult second term. they tend to be really cases in which presidents feel they don't have enough power and they try to get more. 1937, franklin rode roosevelt won by a landslide. huge dominance of congress. yet was worried that the supreme court would go on overruling the acts that he tried to get past. he tried to pack the supreme court with his own justices. almost sent his term off the rails. richard nixon, on this day 40 years ago, richard nixon was planning to have a democratic congress with both programs he didn't like, he would just not spend the money to fund them. >> as we watch the current

leadership of congress assemble for the next round of introductions, david gregory, do you make much of this new reach out of cooperation, as we go into this second term? >> well, i think there's room. i think that republicans are signaling that they'll fight the president, but they're trying to figure out the best way to do that. and they don't want to get head to head with him in ways that they have before. they just voted to increase taxes for the first time in a generation. that's hard for republicans to do. they decided to get off the track of fighting him on raising the debt ceiling. they're still going to negotiate that path. they have to vote, look at the first daughter. reflect the public's desire. cut government spending to compromise while thinking ahead to their own political calendar and trying to push the president where they can, where they think it's appropriate.

>> this is as decent a measure as how far we've come in four years ago any. everyone looking at the first daughters, saying how big they've grown in four years. >> they seemed like little girls four years ago and now they are young ladies. >> and notably out of the spotlight, which is just how their mother and dad want. sasha needed a box to stand on last time. no more. >> her older sister is strikingly tall. she moves around the corridors of school. >> and their grandmother, michelle obama's mother is there, also. we don't really get to see enough of her. >> as is her wish. everyone around me just says what a terrific president is around the white house. it makes it feel like home, makes it feel normal. and, again, that veil of privacy as done its job. >> she makes this life possible

for them. it's something that was obviously so important to mr. obama and mrs. obama, too, that these girls would not be victims of this public life that their parents are h chosen. mrs. obama has commented about how her children can do spvps they can under the watchful eye of secret service, of course. >> remember, the crowd is aware of what's next in many cases because of the big screen tv. >> you heard a giggle there as they heard their own names announced. they are still just kids. >> i was asking jenna bush what it was like to just stand there and look out. and she said it's just amazing, beyond the people who are invited, beyond the family, you have this realtime sense that you're living history and that

you're part of it. it sounds so obvious to say, but to be in that position is unique. >> michael beschloss, do the obamas get enough credit for having raised two spectacular daughters in this environment? >> i think they don't in realtime, but later on, i think they will. you look at the turbulent history of all these presidential children, not a great story. jackie kennedy put her foot down at the beginning and said i'm going to stay home and raise my children. that's going to be my first job. when she and john kennedy went to texas, famously november of on 1963, that was the first time that she has first lady had been west of virginia. >> andrea mitchell has, we're told, a great vantage point as what we're looking at unfold. >> looking down at those girls and as you've been remarking at how tall they've grown, how much they've turned into young ladies, we've heard the president talk about how somewhat defensively when he was asked about not spending enough time with members of congress, he said now that his girls are getting this old, they're not going to want to be around him

very much so noul now he'll have more time. but the truth is, they are becoming adolescents and that presents a lot of other challenges. but it is remarkable how ba ram and michel barack and michelle obama have kept these kids so normal. we think back to hillary clinton asked jackie kenly onassis for advice and keep them out of the public eye. that worked so successfully with her. and there's the transition here. i was really struck by the fact that susan eisenhower as a grandchild was writing in the "washington post" last week that she had secret service protection and she was objecting because she said the children go through a lot of change and it isn't easy to be the child or the grandchild of the president of the united states. but these girls have done it remarkably with these parents. >> they are so beautiful and so poised. malia is 14 these days, a

freshman in high school. sasha is 11 and in sixth grade. and right now, they're just kids, cold kids waiting for their parents to get there. so lester holt on the west front of the capitol, how do things look from where you are? >> well, we're looking at the girls, as well, as they look towards that red draped entrance, as is everyone else expecting the president and first lady. and the day they have looked forward to since that long, hard fought election, that campaign. >> they've had to sacrifice -- they've had to sacrifice, lester, some of the electronics that their friends and colleagues have enjoyed. they have not had the web access, the access to television. >> right. and we should note, dr. jill biden has now made her way on to the stage.

we don't want to miss a moment of this. scheduled calls to be introduced for the first ladies next. those are really good seats down front. and here she comes.

any moment now. we're trying to let this moment play out as if we were seated down where these folks are. savannah -- >> ladies and gentlemen, the first lady of the united states, mrs. michelle obama accompanied by -- the house of the representatives sharon moss, mrs. green -- >> she has added a belt to the coat since we first saw her. >> you are always talking about the fashion. i don't know what to do with you. >> i know the shoes are j. crew. >> that's right, the shoes are j. crew. many of the accessories are j. crew. this sa designer not known to most of us who designed the coat. and for her sake, i was hoping that her shoes are comfortable because she has a walk in front of her today during the parade. >> i will say michael beschloss,

there has not been this much fascination with a first lady easily since jackie kennedy. >> i think that's exactly right and sort of equal to that. and the thing that's most interesting is that in jackie kennedy's case, when she became first lady, she was 31 years old. michelle obama, a little bit older, but she had not lived in washington. it was a whole new life. and she took this life up without missing a stitch. >> greg robinson wearing crimson colors today. >> yeah, alma mater and not the team he coaches. the next wave is coming down the stone steps. and that will bring the vice president out. all of them accompanied by official delegations. snap ♪

everyone is all trying to read lips, let's all admit it. >> i was just noticing the girls dancing, maybe for fun, maybe for warmth. >> the their dad was doing gangham style and they did not approve. >> oh, it is oregon state. we've been corrected. >> i'm sorry. >> no one would blame you, so there is a lot of -- >> i apologize for the error. >> khromatic overlap, should we put it that way? >> i'm going to step back from making those observations. >> chuck todd, do you want to correct your friend? >> i do. you can't do that to the beavers. >> he has to represent. >> hey, i guess they have the same colors. >> i'll give you that. but, you know, maybe some crimson basketball these days at oregon state, but i think he's trying to improve the program

there. i might get in trouble. >> wow. >> ruffles and flourishes at his. >> ladies and gentlemen, the vice president of the united states, joseph r. biden, accompanied by inaugural coordinator, kelly sado, deputy sergeant of arms martina bradford, house deputy sergeant at arms, carrie hanley and house democratic leader nancy pelosi. ♪

♪ >> michael beschloss, a little different in mood from the folks who are already outside to the president and his party moving through the hallway. half of them look like they're headed for an execution. >> i think that's right. and maybe not very rationale now. four years ago, maybe because

barack obama came with problems coming from almost every direction. now at least he's in a situation where he can give a speech to give a little bit more of what he would like to do rather than how he's going to respond to things that have been thrown in his lap. >> sergeant of arms broke it up a little bit by saying something to the president that got a smile out of him. but everyone is remarking the same things, david, today. the president's older and grayer. daughters have grown up. we've all changes. four years at that. look at that crowd. >> i was thinking about this. we're not the own ones glued to our screens here. the president is walking tighter and straighter, shoulders up, understanding the ceremony has a purpose because the whole world is watching our transition of power. it's not a transition, but a continuation, as you pointed out. but that matters. i think the president will talk about this has to begin at home and become more sound economically so that we can have influence in the rest of the

world that may have waned because of our problems. >> can i add, this is a day that is always one that is shaped by the idea of dignity. that is not always true of our political events and of our great public events, but it is very true of this one. ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states, barack h. obama, accompanied by staff director for the joint congressional committee gene hardman-borowitz, senate sergeant of arms terrance w. gainer, paul irving, chairman of the joint congressional committee on congressional ceremonies, senator charles schumer. senator lamar alexander, speaker of the house of the representatives john boehner, harry reid, house majority leader eric cantor and house democratic leader nancy pelosi.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪ everyone is listening to the marine band, the president's own. we have been blessed, we should point out, with today's weather. we're losing the sun a little bit. there's a light cloud cover that just now chose to move in over capitol hill and continuation of that may bring us some snow showers. but it's a bright day and it's so much warmer than last year. last year, we woke up, it was 19

degrees. and by the time the president was taking the oath, i believe it goes to a balmy 28, winds at 13 gusting to 23 if memory serves. and today it's just much more comfortable. and you think to think for all the folks on foot moving around this city, some of whom have traveled great distances to be here. it's just much more comfortable. and someone pointed out a few flurries in the air would make a beautiful television picture later today, mike i can't tellal beschloss. >> maybe we can arrange that. as long as we're talking about weather, ronald reagan had the distinction of the first inauguration at the time was considered to be the warmest ever. the second one, windchill factor 20 below zero. so much so they moved it indoors so make sure that the lips of the people playing trumpet would not be glued to the --

>> i remember that one. >> they put on the parade later on. >> and the supreme court head wear continues to be fascinating. if you were watching closely just then, you saw justice scalia wearing something akin to the hat you wear on graduation day. and he pulls it off. >> the honorable charles e. schumer. >> senator schumer from new york who gets to run this show. >> mr. president, mr. vice president, members of congress all who are present and to all who are watching, welcome to the capitol and to this celebration of our great democracy. this is the 57th inauguration of an american president. and no matter how many times one witness these event, its simplicity, its innate majesty and most of all its meaning that

sacred and cautious entrusting of power from we the people to our chosen leader never fails to make one's heartbeat faster as it will today with the inauguration of president barack h. obama. now, we know that we would not be here today were it not for those who stand guard around the world to preserve our freedom. to those in our armed forces, we offer our infinite thanks for your bravery, your honor, your sacrifice. this democracy of ours was

forged by intellect and argument, by activism and blood, and above all, from john adams to elizabeth katie stanton to martin luther king by a stub born adherence to the notion that we are all created equal and that we deserve nothing less than a great republic worthy of our consent. the theme of this year's inaugural is "faith in america's future." the perfect embodiment of this unshakeable confidence in the ongoing success of our collective journey is an event from our past. i speak of the improbable completion of the capitol dome and tapping it with the statue of freedom which occurred 150 years ago in 1863. when abraham lincoln took office two years earlier, the dome above us was a half built

eyesore. conventional wisdom was that it should be left unfinished until the war ended. given the travailed and financial needs of the time. but to president lincoln, the half finished dome symbolized a half divided nation. lincoln said, if people see the capitol going on, it is a sign we intend the union shall go on. and so despite the conflict which engulfed the nation and surrounded the city, the dome continued to rise. on december 2nd, 1863, the statue of freedom, a woman was placed atop the dome where she still stands today. in a sublime irony, it was a former slave now free american phillip reed who helped to cast the bronze statue. now, our present times are not as perilous or as despairing as they were in 1863. but in 2013, far too many doubt the future of this great nation

and our ability to tackle our own era's half finished dome. today's problems are entractble, they say. the times are so complex, the differences in the country so deep, we will never overcome them. when thoughts like these produce anxiety, fear, and is even despair, we do well to remember that americans have always been and still are a practical, optimistic, problem solving people. and that as our history shows, no matter how steep decline, how difficult the problems, how half finished the task, america always rises to the occasion. america prevails and america prospers. and those who bet against this country have inevitably been on

the wrong side of history. so, it is a good moment to gaze upward and behold the statue of freedom at the top of the capitol dome. it is a good moment to gain strength and courage and humility from those who were determined to complete the half-finished dome. it is a good moment to rejoice today at this 57th presidential inaugural ceremony and it is the perfect moment to renew our collected faith in the future of america. thank you and god bless these united states. in that spirit of faith, i would now like to introduce civil rights leader myrlie evers who has committed her life to

extending the promise of our nation's founding principles to all americans. mrs. evers will lead us in the invocation. >> america, we are here, our nation's capitol, on this day, january the 21st, 2013. the ina ininaugural ragz of ourh president, barack obama. we come at this time to ask blessings upon our leaders, the president, vice president, members of congress all elected

and appointed officials of the united states of america. we are here to ask blessings upon our armed forces, blessings upon all who contribute to the essence of the american spirit, the american dream, the opportunity to become whatever our mankind, womankind allows us to be. this is the promise of america. as we sing the words of belief, this is my country, let us ask upon the meaning that everyone is included. may the inherent dignity and inailble rights of every woman, man, boy and is girl be honored.

may all of your people, especially the lead of these, flourish in our blessed nation. 150 years after the emancipation proclamation and 50 years after the march on washington, we celebrate the spirit of our ancest ancestors, which has allowed us to move from a nation of unborn hope and a history of disenfranchised votes to today's expression of a more perfect union. we ask, too, almighty, that where our path seems rippled by pangs of despair, we ask for your guidance toward the light of on delivering. and that the vision of those who came before us and dreamed of

this day, that we recognize that their visions still inspire us. they are a great cloud of witnesses, unseen by the naked eye, but all around us, thankful that their living was not in vain. for every mountain, you gave us the strength to climb. your grace is pleaded to continue that climb for america and the world. we now stand beneath the shadow of the nation's capitol whose golden dome reflects the unity and democracy of one nation in did i visible with liberty and justice for all. approximately four miles from where we are assembled, the

hallowed remains of men and women rest in arlington cemetery they who believed, fought and died for this country. may their spirit infuse our being to work together with respect, enabling us to continue to build this nation. and in so doing, we send a message to the world that we are strong, fierce in our strength and every vigilant in our pursuit of freedom. we ask that you grant our on precedent the will to act courageously but cautiously when confronted with danger and to act prudently but deliberately when challenged by adversity. please continue to best his

efforts, to lead by example in consideration and favor of the diversity of our people. bless our families all across this nation. we thank you for this opportunity of prayer, to strengthen us for the journey through the days that lie ahead. we invoke the prayers of our grandmothers who taught us to pr pr pray, god, make me a blessing. let their spirit guide us as we claim the spirit of old. there's something within me that holds the reins. there's something within me that vanishes pain. there's something within me i

cannot explain. but all i know, america, there is something within. there is something within. in jesus name and the name of all who are holy and right, we pray. amen. >> amen. >> i am pleased to introduce the award winning tabernacle choir, the brooklyn tabernacle choir to sing "battle hymn of the republic."

♪ ♪ glory glory hallelujah glory glory hallelujah glory glory hallelujah his truth is marching on ♪ ♪ mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the lord ♪

♪ he is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored ♪ ♪ he hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword ♪ ♪ his truth is marching on ♪ glory glory hallelujah glory glory hallelujah glory glory hallelujah his truth is marching on ♪ his truth is marching on ♪

♪ in the beauty of the lilies christ was born across the sea ♪ ♪ with the glory in his bosom that transfigured you and me ♪ ♪ as he died to make men whole ♪ ♪ let us live to make men free ♪ our god is marching on ♪ glory glory hallelujah glory glory hallelujah

glory glory hallelujah his truth is marching on ♪ marching on ♪ glory glory hallelujah glory glory hallelujah glory glory hallelujah his truth is marching on ♪

♪ marching on ♪ the truth is marching on >> please join me in welcoming my colleague and my friend, the senator from tennessee, the honorable lamar alexander. >> mr. president, mr. vice president, ladies and gentlemen, the late alex hailey, the author

of "roots" lived his life by these six words, find the good and praise it. today we pray the american tradition of transferring or reaffirming immense power in the inauguration of the president of the united states. we do this in a peaceful, orderly way. there is no ma, no coup, no insurrecti insurrection. this is a moment when millions stop and watch. a moment most of us always will remember. it is a moment that is our most conspicuous and enduring symbol of the american democracy. how remarkable that this has survived for so long in such a complex country when so much power is at stake.

this freedom to vote for our leaders and the restraint to respect the results. last year at mt. vernon, a tour guide told me that our first president, george washington, once posed this question: what is most important washington asks of this grand experiment, the united states? and then washington answered his own question in this way, not the election of the first president, but the election of its second president. the peaceful transfer of power is what will separate our country from every other country in the world. so today we celebrate the 57th inauguration of the american preside president. find the good and praise it. now it is my honor -- it is my

honor to introduce the associate justice of the supreme court, sonia sotomayor for the purpose of administering the oath of office to the vice president. will everyone please stand. >> thank you. mr. vice president, please raise your right hand and repeat after me. i, joseph r. biden jr., do solemnly swear. >> i, joseph r. biden jr., do solemnly swear. >> that i will support and defend the constitution of the united states. >> that i will support and defend the constitution of the united states. >> against all enemies, foreign and domestic. >> against all enemies, foreign and domestic. >> that i will bear true faith

and allegiance to the same. >> i will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. >> that i take this obligation freely. >> that i take this obligation freely. >> without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. >> without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. >> and that i will well and faithfully discharge. >> and that i will well and faithfully discharge. >> the duties of the office of which i am about to enter. >> the duties of the office of which i am about to enter. >> so help me god. >> so help me god. congratulations. ♪

♪ >> it is my pleasure to introduce renowned musical artist james taylor. ♪ oh beautiful for spacious skies ♪ ♪ for amber waves of grain ♪

♪ for purple mountains' majesty above the fruited plain ♪ ♪ america america ♪ ♪ god shed his grace on thee ♪ ♪ and crown thy good with brotherhood ♪ ♪ from sea to shining sea ♪ ♪ from sea to shining sea ♪

>> it is my honor to present the chief justice of the united states, john g. roberts jr., who will administer the presidential oath of office. everyone please rise. >> please raise your right hand, and repeat after me. i, barack hussein obama, do solemnly swear. >> i, barack hussein obama, do solemnly swear. >> that i will faithfully execute. >> that i will faithfully execute. >> the office of president of the united states. >> the office of president of the united states. >> and will to the best of my ability. >> and will to the best of my ability. >> preserve, protect and defend. >> preserve, protect and defend.

>> the constitution of the united states. >> the constitution of the united states. >> so help you god. >> so help me god. >> congratulations, mr. president. >> thank you. ♪ ♪ ♪

>> ladies and gentlemen, it is my great privilege and distinct honor to introduce the 44th president of the united states of america, barack h. obama. >> thank you.

thank you. thank you so much. vice president biden, mr. chief justice, members of the united states congress, distinguished guests and fellow citizens, each time we gather to inaugurate a president, we bear witness to the incurring strength of our constitution. we affirm the promise of our democracy. we recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the penance of our faith or the

origins of our name. what makes us exceptional, what makes us americans is our allegiance to an idea articulated in the declaration made more than two centuries ago. we hold these truths to be self-evident. that all men are created equal. that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. today we continue a neverending journey to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time.

for history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing. that while freedom is a gift from god, it must be secured by his people here on earth. the patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. they gave to us a republic, a government of and by and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed. for more than 200 years, we have. through blood drawn by lash and blood drawn by sword, we learned that no union founded on the principles of liberty and equality could survive half

slave and half free. we made ourselves anew and vowed to move forward together. together we determined that a modern economy requires railroads and highways to speed travel and is commerce, schools and colleges to train our workers. together we discovered that a free market only thrives when there are rules to ensure competition and fair play. together we resolve that a great nation must care for the vulnerable and protect its people from life worth hazards and misfortune. through it all, we have never relinquished or skepticism of central authority, nor have we succumb to the fiction that all society's ills can be cured through government alone. our celebration of a nation, an enterprise, our insistence on

hard work and personal responsibility, these are constants in our character. we have always understood that when times change, so must we. that fidelity to our founding principles requires new responses to new challenges. that preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action. the american people can no more meet the demands of today's world by acting alone than the american forces could have met the forces of fascism and communism with muskets. no single person can train all the math and science teachers we'll need to equip our children for the future or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new businesses to our shores. now more than ever we must do these things together. as one nation. and one people.

this generation of americans has been tested by crises that sealed our resolve and proved our resilience. a decade of war is now ending. an economic recovery has begun. america's possibilities are limitless for we possess all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands. youth and drive, diversity and openness, of endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention. my fellow americans, we are made for this moment and is we will seize it so long as we seize it together.

for we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well in a growing many barely make it. we believe that america's prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class. we know that america thrives when every person can find independence and pride in their work, when the wages of honest labor liberate families from the brink of hardship. we are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else because she is an american, she is free and she is equalled not just in the eyes of god, but also in our own.

we understand that outworn programs are inadequate to the needs of our time. but we must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government, revamp our tax codes, reform our schools and empower our citizens with the skills they need to work harder, learn more, reach higher. but while the means will change, our purpose endures. a nation that rewards the effort and determination of every single american. that is what this moment requires. that is what will give real meaning to our creed. we, the people, still believe that every citizen deserves a basic measure of security and dignity. we must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit.

but we reject the belief that america must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future. for we remember the lessons of our past when twilight years were spent in poverty and parents of a child with a disability had nowhere to turn. we do not believe that in this country freedom is reserved for the lucky or happiness for the few. we recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our life, any one of us at any time may face a job loss or a sudden illness or a home swept away in a terrible storm. the commitments we make to each other through medicare and medicaid and social security,

these things do not staff our initiative. they strengthen us. they do not make us a nation of takers. they free us to take the risks that make this country great. we, the people, still believe that our obligations as americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. we will respond to the threat of climate change knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought and more powerful storms.

the path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. but america cannot resist this transition. we must lead it. we cannot seed to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and is new industries. we must claim its promise. that's how we will maintain our economic vitality and our nation treasure. our forests and waterways, our croplands and snow capped peaks. that is how we will preserve our planet. commanded to our care by god. that is what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared. we, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual wool.

our brave men and women in uniform tempered by the flames of battle are unmatched in skill and courage. our citizens feared by the memory of those we have lost know too well the price it has paid for liberty, the knowledge of their sacrifice will keep us forever vigilant against those who would do us harm. but we are also heirs to those who won the peace and not just the war, who turn sworn enemies t into the surest of friends and we must carry those lessons into this time, as well. we will defend our people and uphold our values through strength of arms and the rule of law. we will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully, not because we are naive about the

dangers we face, but because engagement can lift suspicion and fear. america will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe. and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad. for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation. we will support democracy from asia to africa, from the americas to the middle east because our interests and our conscious compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom. we must be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the magicalized, the victims of prejudice, not out of mere charity, but because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that our common creed describes, tolerance and opportunity, human dignity and justice.

we, the people, declared today that the most evident of truths that all of us are created equal. it is the star that guides us still, just as it guided our forebearers through selma .stonewall, just as it guided all those men and women, sung and unsung who left footprints along this great mall to hear a preacher say that we could not walk alone, to hear a king pro claim that our individual freedom is inxlik e inexplicably bound to the freedom and is honor. it is now our generation's task to carry on what those pie your nears began.

pie your ne pioneers began. until our wives and mothers and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law. for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal, as well. our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote. our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see america as a land of opportunity, until bright young students and engineers are lifted in our workforce rather than expelled in our country. our journey is not complete until all our children, from the

streets of detroit to the hills of appalachia to the quiet lanes of newtown know that they are cared for and cherished and always safe from harm. that is our generation's task. to make these words, these rights, these values of life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness real for every american. being true to our founding documents does not require us to agree on every contour of life. it does not mean we all define liberty in exactly the same way or follow the same precise path to happiness. progress does not compel us to settle centuries long debates about the role of government for

all time, but it does require us to act in our time. for now decisions are upon us and we cannot afford delay. we cannot mistake absolutism for principle or substitute spectacle for policy or treat name calling as reasoned debate. we must act. we must act knowing that our work will be unperfect. we must act knowing that today's victories will be only partial and that it will be up to those who stand here in four years and 40 years and 400 years hence to advance the timeless spirit once conferred to us in a spare philadelphia home. my fellow americans, the oath i

have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who served in this capitol, was an oath to god and country. not party or faction. and we must faithfully execute that pledge during the duration of our service. but the words i spoke today are not so different from the oath that is taken each time a soldier signs up for duty or an immigrant realizes her dream. my oath is not so different from the pledge we all make to the flag that waves above and that fills our hearts with pride. they are the words of citizens. and they represent our greatest hope. you and i as citizens have the power to set this country's core. you and i as citizens have the

obligation to shape the debate of our time, not only with the votes we cast, but with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideas. let us each of us now embrace with solemn duty an awesome joy what is our lasting birth right. with common effort and common purpose, with passion and dedication, let us answer the call of history and carry into an uncertain future that pressure light of freprecious lt of freedom. thank you and god bless you and may he bless the united states of america. >> at 12:11 p.m. on the east coast. with that, it is official. david gregory, was it short? >> it really was. at times, he sounded like a

preacher. at other times, he was pragmatic, brian. this is a president who time and time again who said we have to act together in doing the nation's business. lifting up the middle class. still compromising on some of these entitlements, but he's not going to give up the importance in our society and he'll fight to protect children from massacres like newtown. i have a one pager of key notes here and those are some very limited themes. it says something about what he wants to achieve in the second term and a narrow list of achievements, at least what he pursued so far today. >> it's just a measurement of our country four years later and where we stand. kelly is about to come up. for the one portion that was aimed right at this past campaign and his opponent, the commitments we make to each other, medicare, mid medicaid, social security, they strengthen us, they free us to take the risks that make this country great.

more in a moment. we'll listen to kelly clarkson. ♪ ♪ my country 'tis of thee ♪ sweet land of liberty of thee i sing ♪ ♪ land where my fathers died land of the pilgrims' pride from every mountainside

let freedom ring ♪ ♪ let music fell the and ring for all the trees ♪ ♪ let mortal come to awake let our every take let rocks and silence break the sounds along ♪

♪ my fathers got to be author of liberty ♪ ♪ to thee we sing ♪ let the land be bright with freedom's holy light ♪ ♪ protect us and above praise god our king ♪

>> wow. our next distinguished guest is the poeest richard blanco, who will share with us words he has composed for this occasion. >> mr. president, mr. vice president, america, one today.

one sun rose on us today, kindled over our shores, peaking over the smokes, greeting over the faces of the great lakes, spreading a simple truth across the great plains and charging across the rockies. one light waking up rooftops. under each one a story told by our silent gestures moving across windows. my faith, my face, your face, millions of faces in morning's mirrors, each one yawning to light, krecrescendoing into our day, impending school buses, the river of traffic lights, fruit stands, apples, limes and

oranges, a parade like rainbows begging our praise. silver trucks, heavy with oil our paper, bricks or milk. teaming over highways alongside us on our way to clean tables, read ledgers or save lives, to teach geometry or ring up groceries as my mother did for 20 years so i could write this poem for all of us today. all of us, as vital as the one light we move through, the same light on blackboards with lessons for the day, equations to solve, history to question or atoms imagined. the "i have a dream" we all keep dreaming or the impossible

vocabulary of sorrow that won't explain the empty desks of 20 children marked absent today and forever. many prayers put one light breathing color through stained glass windows, life into the faces of bronze statues, warmth on to the steps of ow museumes and park benches as mothers watch children slide into the day. one ground, our ground, rooting us to every stalk of corn, every head of wheat sewn by sweat and hands, hands cold or planting windmills in door tops that keep us warm, hands digging trenches routing pipes and cables, hands as worn as my father's cutting

sugar cane so my brother and i could have books and shoes. the dust of farms and deserts, cities and plains, mingled by one wind, our breath. breathe. hear it through the day's gorgeous din of honking cabs, buses down avenues, the symphony of foot steps, guitars and screeching doorways, the unexpected song bird on your clothes line. here, squeaky playground swings, whispers across cafe tables. hear the doors we open each day for each other saying hello, shalom, bon jour, howdy, or

bueno s dias. in the language my mother taught me, spoken into one wind, carrying our lives without prejudice as these words break from my lips. one sky, since the appalachians and sietas claimed their majesty and the mississippi worked their way to the sea. thank the work of our hands, weaving steel into bridges, finishing one more report for the boss on time, stitching another wound or uniform, the first brushstroke on a portrait or the last floor of the freedom tower jutting into the sky that yields to our resilience. one sky toward which we sometimes lift our eyes tired

from work. some days guessing at the weather of our lives, some days giving thanks for a love that loves you back. sometimes praising a mother who knew how to give or forgiving a father who couldn't give what you wanted. we head home through the gloss of rain or weight of snow or the plum blush of dusk, but always, always home, always under one sky, our sky, and always one moon like a silent drum tapping on every rooftop and every window of one country. all of us facing the stars.

hope, a new constellation, waiting for us to map it. waiting for us to name it together. >> ladies and gentlemen, it is now my privilege to introduce reverend dr. luis leon to deliver the benediction.

>> let us pray. gracious and eternal god, as we conclude the second inauguration of president obama, we ask for your blessings as we seek to become, in the words of martin luther king, citizens of a beloved community loving you and loving our neighbors as ourselves. we pray that you will bless us with your continued presence. without it, hatred and arrogance will infect our hearts. but with your blessing, we know that we can break down the walls that separate us. we pray for your blessing today because without it, mistrust, privilege and ranqor will rule our presence. but with your presence, we know

we can renew your guards that best form our civic life. we pray for your blessing. without it, suspicion, fear of those different from us will be our rule of life. but with your blessing, we can see each other created in your image, a unit in god's grace, unprecedented, ir repeatable and is irreplaceable. we pray for your blessing. because without it, we will see only what the eye can see. but with the blessing of your blessing, we will see that we are created in your image, whether brown, black or white, male or female, first generation immigrant american or daughter of the american revolution, gay or straight, rich or poor. we pray for your blessing because without it, we will only

see scarcity in the midst of abundance. but with your blessing, we will recognize the abundance of the gifts of this good land with which you are endowed this jjj1@uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu% l

holy name, amen.

>> ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for the singing of our national anthem by award winning artist beyonce, accompanied by the u.s. marine band. following the national anthem, please remain at your place while the presidential party exits the platform.

♪ o say, can you see by the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? ♪ ♪ whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight ♪ ♪ o'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? ♪ ♪ and the rockets' red glare the bombs bursting in air ♪ ♪ gave proof through the night

that our flag was still there ♪ ♪ oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ o'er the land of the free ♪ ♪ and the home of the brave? ♪ the brave ♪

>> an important day for the performance to bring it and they brought it today. kelly clarkson, beyonce. back with her husband, jay-z. at one point, she flung that monitor out of her ear and needed to break free. savannah guthrie, rehaven't gotten to you yet on this day so far. >> i'm always so relieved when they hit it out of the park. that is a hard song to sing. this is an enduring sign of our democracy, something that we do very well, either to transfer power to peacefully or in this case the reaffirmation of power. we had poetry, we had song and i think in the president's inaugural speech we had a little bit of poet and speech. he harkened back to all men are created equal and turned into a

speech that had more policy in it than i suppose i expected. in some ways, it seems the president wanted to vindicate his political view of the world, whether it be on an issue like climate change or entitlements. he seemed to hit every democratic constituency, every member of this political coalition that he put together to win re-election. an interesting speech and one not too long by inaugural standards. >> the associate press lead often gets to be the first draft of history. julie press of the ap says president barack obama declared on monday that a decade of war is ending and the nation's economy is recovering as he launched into a second term before a flag-waving crowd of hundreds of thousands on the national mall. doris kearns-goodwin, will it be said this speech, among the shortest was was state of the union like?

>> i think in spirit waits state of the union like. what interested me was people expected him to contract his ambitions of the of the troubles of the last four years. this was a powerful defense of collective action, of government in a certain sense. he talked about government having done infrastructure, railroads and highways, caring for the vulnerable and the poor in education. and then you saw that the campaign rhetoric about the few and the many was not just campaign rhetoric. he tied it to the idea of america, that when we replaced the king, we didn't replace tyranny with the privileges or the few. and he kent through his campaign about we have to do it together not on the backs of the view. so i think we have calling on citizens as you're suggesting to act, to come forward and he was defending government. he was defending government in our time, that maybe it has its problems and it's work out, but essentially was telling citizens, i need your voice, i need your action. and he talked about immigration,

finance reform, things that people didn't expect. but it's sort of the journey that's not finished rather than a policy-walking thing. so i think it's really the agenda for the next term and the awareness that he won't get it done from inside. he needs these characters from outside to come and is be part of the process. >> i'm very happy to have tom brokaw with us. and, tom, the president hit on a topic you hit on in just the last 48 hours. that is engineering students in this country vis-a-vis immigration. >> well, when they get here and get an education and then they have to go home because they can't get a visa to stay, that's a specific policy issue. i thought the speech was couched in plain language, but it had its own elements as a result of that. this nation has been through a great deal of trauma for the past 12 years, not just the last four years. wooerve through wars and terrorism and economic collapse at the highest levels of our country. people have lost their jobs. and they have lost a piece of the american dream. and the president tried to address that. he also did something at the very end which i thought was

extremely important. this is going to be, i'm told, part one of a two-part speech. this is a state of the union speech that is coming up when he goes before a joint session of congress. and then he'll lay out in greater detail. then we're told he's going to go around the country. here is how he concluded his speech. you and i as citizens have the power to set the country's course. you and i as citizens have the obligation to set our country's time with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideals. what he is saying don't leave this to the bloggers and to the special interest. everyone has to get involved this time. >> and david gregory, so many people have said keep the campaign energy going in his camp and take this out. >> well, and doris referred to that, as well. i think wa we've learned about this president the past four years, his outside game is better than his inside game. his inside game was run when it matter by the president. his inside game is something

that he's quite good at. i think there was a note of pragmatism here, as well. i think he would like to triumph in this debate about the role of government. and he staunchly defended the role of medicare and social security and that shot across the bow to mitt romney who says folks who rely on that are not just takers. we can make modifications to them, but he's going to stand by these programs. but he made an illusion to the fact that we have to take some action now. so that is a nod towards some room for compromise on his part and how often he talked about collective action. seizing the moment together. he's going to try. that's what a second term president has to do. he has to try. >> and as the strange bed fellows that inaugurations are made, we just had the number three republican in the house taking an iphone picture of beyonce and jay-z with the podium in the background as this becomes a nice and big kind of

gathering up on the podium. lester holt is on the west front of the capitol. lester, anything we couldn't see or sense in the tv coverage that was obvious from your location? >> well, i think some of the biggest applauses i could hear from down near the platform itself were responses to when the president talked about equality for women, four our daughters and our wives. that got some demonstrations not only here in the crowd, but some of the female lawmakers gathered there on the platform seemed to respond to that. the president seemed to draw energy from the crowd, looking on up the mall at the tens of thousands of people staring back at him. there's a delay, something you don't see on the tv, the sound system delays as you get farther away. you could hear some of what he was saying echoed back several seconds later. so i think it took them a while to get the rhythm and the response of the crowd. but he clearly drew strength from it. we're watching now on the platform itself folks who don't

want to leave, who are really taking all this in. it is quite a sight. we're seeing a lot of former, a lot of soon to be former members of this administration. we saw rahm emanuel, former chief of staff here greeting old colleagues and, of course, members of this administration will be leaving, new nominees, the president will sign some business as he goes into the capitol now with regard to all that. but it was -- it was well received and a stirring sight. you can only imagine what it will be like to look out among those tens of thousands of people packed to listen to your every word. brian. >> lester, while you were talking, the picture we're looking at now, paul ryan exiting behind jay-z. mitt romney we're told is at home with his wife, ann, in lahoya, california. someone close to them said they did not believe he would be watching today. but paul ryan must be thinking about what a long, strange trip it's been the last couple of months. andrea mitchell, how was the

view different from your location? >> well, as you know, often who is challenging the ban on gay rights prop 8. and i was really -- you know, you've talked about the other issues that were addressed in the speech, the substantive issues about medicare, medicaid, entitlements, climate change, the other policies. i was really struck by his saying that we will not all be free. you know, he mentioned stonew l stonewall. that was the horrible riot in new york city in greenwich village against gay rights. he said our journey will not be complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated equally under the law. so that, to me, was another unprecedented mention in an inaugural address. brian. >> and let's go inside the rotunda. kelly o'donnell is part of the press group that just watched the president pass through.

kelly, he's going to a signing ceremony. >> that's right. this is one of the traditions that happens right after the president is in most cases taking the oath of office for the first time. today, it will be a bit more ceremonial where he will sign some paperwork that will officially nominate some people for the cabinet. it's part of the tradition here. we're just feet away from the president and his party as they came through. and then the next event will be a luncheon. talk about a hard to get ticket. there will only be 220 guests in the room behind me here. and you may be able to see some of the coat check folks who are assembling to take those wraps off the people who have been freezing outside for a while. the luncheon is an parent part of this day, as well. the president will receive some official gifts, crystal that we were able to look at the other day that is lovely, done by the lennox company. one of the pieces that will be there is a table from lincoln. of course, everybody wants to know, what are they having?

there are three courses, brian. they begin with steamed lobster with new england clam chowder. then the second course is a hickory grilled bison. then the dessert course is a hudson valley apple pie. now, i'm told that all of the whines are from new york. that is not a coincidence. that's because senator chuck schumer has been in charge of setting up all of this. also, the painting that will be behind the president depicts niagara falls. again, a nod to new york. that came over from the state department where it had been outside hillary clinton's office. so they will be dining and we're told the calorie count is about 3,000. brian. >> thank you, kelly. and this is the signing room, the signing ceremony. you see the leadership of both the inaugural committee. let's listen in. >> i am -- i am proclaiming good

will towards men. >> amen. >> this is the document making the inauguration official. >> i am sending a few nominations up, which i know will be dealt with great fashion. >> who are they? >> mr. jack lew for treasury. mr. charles hagel for defense. mr. john kerry for secretary of state. and mr. john brennen of virginia for -- there you go. >> great. >> thank you very much, everybody. look forward to it.

>> a very skilled event. i can get you one, man. >> this is a nice one. and that's yours. >> that one actually costs something, harry. >> so what we just witnessed, i think, harry reid was going to help himself to one of the ceremonial pens and the president did him one better by taking one of the, quote, nice ones out of his pocket and handing it to the senator fr nevada. just to review, the president was joking about these

nominations all going through in front of the republican leadership, which will have a big say in that. brennan to cia. hagel to the pentagon, kerry to the state department and is lew as chief of staff. andrea mitchell, back outside. >> as people are leaving here, those nominations are pretty much expected to go through. of course, chuck hagel has been the most controversial. but this is really a cabinet and our friends doris kearns goodwin, of course, really has written so eloquently about the team of rivals approach of the first obama cabinet and the parallels, of course, to abraham lincoln. we think so much about lincoln today. we think about martin luther king jr. today and the all of the echos of equal rights that came through in the speech. but this is going to be a cabinet not of rivals, but of friends and colleagues, of very close colleagues and we see what we are expecting next, of course, janice mcdonough to be

chief of staff. i think the president has a comfort level with these people and the question will be whether he listens to outside voices. he says he has huge challenges, but i thought that the tone of this speech was, aside from the policy prescriptions, much more eloquent than i had expected, frankly, and in the mood of mart martin luther king jr. and about the day we're celebrating and about legacy. >> i gave lew his current job. of course, he's being nominated for treasury second. doris, to andrea's point, second determine team of rivals and more a team of friends. >> well, that was true for lincoln, as well. when he first got into the term, inexperience without celebrity, without as much education as these other people, he had to put in sam and chase and etcetera, etcetera. once he got his grounding, once he was second term elected, he said i can put the people i want in there. i think it's a mark of the

increased confidence that he's gotten the experience, he's no longer a state senator and a u.s. senator for two years president. he's president of the united states. i also agree with andrea. i think it was a more forceful and eloquent and spiting speech than we might have imagined. fighting in a good sense, that we the people are fighting together. but it didn't indicate that he felt contracted on the last four years. on the contrary, i think he's going forward. >> and the hit this president has taken of all presidents is a lack of diversity in the inner circle. >> but it's not done yet. wait until it all comes together. that picture was devastating. she has a good leg, but -- >> hiding in the oval office. ron mott hiding outside, how are things from your vantage point? >> i'm down here in section seven. one of the moments that we minded me of growing up in church when the speaker would say something so simple and so

poignant that all hands would bow in unison almost involuntarily. and that's what happened here when the president said we're not trying to solve the country's problems for all time, but we have to solve problems for our time. and it seemed to me to be a knock on the 112th congress and maybe a challenge to the 113th to let's get something done. let's put politics on the back seat for the time being. let progress be the driver. people here believe this is time for the country to start moving forward and, yes, politics and debate are all important, but that should not impede progress for the country. and so i think that's the general mood down here on the grounds of the mall. people want to see progress in this next congress. they want this congress to work with this president to get things done so that we don't see a repeat of, really, inactivity over the past two years, brian. >> ron mott with the mood from section seven down in front. ron, thank you. we'll take a quick break. when we come back, we'll have the start of this luncheon on

capitol hill. when that is completed, the procession, the parade begins across town to the white house where the reviewing stand will be the center of attention at the inaugural parade gets under way. this is our live, continuing coverage of the second inauguration of president obama. r from silver screens... to flat screens...

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and salted, roasted peanuts. sweet and salty nut bars by nature valley. nature at its most delicious. . that the words i spoke today are not so different from the oath that is taken each time a soldier signs up for duty for an immigrant realizes her dream. my oath is not so different from the pledge we all make to the flag that waves above and that fills our hearts with pride.

>> just part of the inaugural address we all witnessed. again, one of the shorter speeches of its kind in the modern era. let's go to the white house. nbc's chuck todd, our chief white house correspondent and political director. chuck, we haven't checked in with you since the completion of it. your notes, your thoughts on this man you cover for a living? >> well, you know, one of the things that candidate obama ma said he wanted to model himself after five years ago is when he said he was hoping to model himself more after a reagan than a clinton. and at the time he was still running against another clinton. and the point he was making was this. he thought reagan made conservative mainstream. this was an attempt to make progressive liberalism and move it into the plain stream. you can have this argument at the country's center right,

center-center left clearly the president wants to help shift american political opinion and move it a little bit, move that pendulum. and i thought that was the most striking thing long-term that he howard about. it was this robust defense that i've heard a number of others say that it was a robust defense of government, liberal amp, however you want to call it. we know liberals want to use the word progressive all the time. and then a point that i thought needed to be echoed, this is the first ever inaugural address to mention gay rights and historically when we look back on that, it will be one of the things that this inaugural was meant for. but this was about his leaving his marm on the political spectrum. >> david gregory, as we watch the man formally and officially nominated to be the next secretary of the treasury. i think it's the point lester holt made. it was audible to us the reaction, the point about our wives and daughters, women in

general got in the crowd in the immediate crowd. >> well, and this is a president of historical significance, not just for his own sake, but because of the elevation of gay rights throughout his presidency and an emphasis on women's rights and equal pay which he mentioned in an otherwise pretty austere address today. and, you know, there's something about a second term. presidents who are re-elected feel confident in a completely different way. they can shake their cabinet in a way that does not bow to all the political guidelines of the first elections that they make. and this is a president who i think is thinking ahead, not only about what he wants to achieve, but thinking about how he elevates his party in 2014 in 2016. and reveal and take advantage of some cracks in the republican coalition. he wants to drive those. he wants to win some of these arguments and is these debates. and i think you're feeling that forcefulness from him and you've seen it, really, over the past month. >> we've just been watching one of the warriors of the house, john di this gle and then the

justices of the house. senator portman of ohio played a vital role in the romney effort this past election season. kelly. >> well, senator portman knows president obama in a way most people don't, having played him for both senator mccain and mitt romney. today, your impressions. the president talked about trying to have a cooperative spirit going forward. is that something that people will really embrace in your party? >> absolutely. i mean, i think this is a day for us to renew what makes america great, which is finding common ground and solving problems. i thought the president gave an eloquent speech as you usually does. i wish there had been even more opportunities for him to talk about where we can work together. but i think the overall theme was appropriate. you know, we are one, we have lots of problems to face and we need to figure out a way to work together. >> when he signed the nominating papers for a couple of his cabinet secretaries, he said he hoped they would be passed through quickly. what's your sense of how the senate will respond to that?

>> some of his nominations will go through quickly. senator kerry is an example of that. i think all of us who know him know he can represent the united states abroad well. i think there are more concerns about senator hagel. and we'll see what happens there. it will depend on the hearings and what he says to questions members have tkly on his views in the middle east and is iran. jack lew is another interesting choice. jack lew is somebody that will get a lot of attention. i think in the end he will be confirmed, but people will ask questions about things like tax reform, entitlement reform, and what are the policies going forward that we can work together on. >> when you see where the president's approval rating now and beginning a new term, do you think your party has to work with him in a different way? >> well, look, we need to work together, regardless of approval ratings. our country is in trouble. we have record deficits and debts. we still have relatively low economic growth. we have to get together to solve

these problems. we can't do it alone. >> thank you, senator portman. always good to see you, sir. >> kelly, while you were talking to the senator, a great tetatet between bill clinton and paul ryan. former president clinton now talking to john dingle and paul ryan has moved over to a different group, including treasury secretary designate jack lew. this is one of the grat teat tableaus. >> the president would not hesitate to get into a meaty budget issue. but bill clinton warned democrats over the weekend, don't diminish the gun culture in this country. he wants to influence democratic thought some some of the big decisions that are made. >> and savannah, this is the day you can have these conversations. >> no doubt about it. if you're a political junky and you're watching right now, you probably fall into that category to some degree.

it's a who's who, a mixing and mingling of these folks in washington who are so royceble. the only thing i can complain about is why is there no boom mike so we think eavesdrop on everything that they say? >> that was john off on the periphery on his blackberry. he's wondering how much is this costing. >> and tom brokaw, you're watching as closely as i am. did we just see newt gingrich getting into an suv? >> we did. and just to the right of bill clinton was marjorie margolis. one term. there was john legend. what was striking as i've gone back over the speech, however, briep, was the absence of foreign policy. and the two really contentious appointments, or at least one is chuck hagel who is going to run the defense department. and the middle east is aflame again and now we're seeing it spread into africa in a way that

is very hard to get a fix for what the model is dealing with it. these are failed states. we have tribalism again prevailing in africa and again in the middle east because islamic rage has not been distinguished. command and control of al qaeda they believe has been broken down, but as you saw in algeria in the past several days, this is going to be a continuing problem out there. that will go to the defense department, how it's run, how much money they have to spend, how they reorganized the response of that and secretary kerry would is going to pick up the baton from hillary clinton has to decide what's our relationship with egypt? how run by a muslim brotherhood. >> it's worth remarking on that because four years ago, as we all sat here, none of us expected every assumption you would make about the middle east for decade toes be completely overturned, which just goes to the point that as much as we try to predict what any president will do in items of his own agenda, what he wants to accomplish, there's always the element of surprise. and in the case of the arab

spring and wa we continue to see in the middle east that has huge ramifications and will continue to affect us. >> or think of president bush's first inaugural when there was no 2001, or you think of fdr's first and second inaugural, depressions and then world war ii comes at the end of the second time. or think of lbj's inaugural, filled with a great society with all the things he wanted to accomplish in associate justice and vietnam was a small part of that and it becomes the swallowing of his administration. the presidents want to focus what they can control and at least they have a little bit more leeway on domestic issues. and that's what we care about right now as a nation, but that stuff is out there and could indeed shape what the second term is about. >> kelly o'donnell with former president jimmy carter. >> thank you, brian. pleasure to see you, mr. president. did a moment like this invoke mernlstime? >> it was. the difference was it was 6 degrees and the wind was blowing

when i was inaugust your it aed. yeah, this is a ceremony of diversity as you noticed with the different ethnic groups. i think all the performances were great, including the president's speech. i think it was a spirit of harmony and maybe anticipation for a more productive next four years. >> what do you think is most achievable, mr. president? >> i think the next thing achieved is finally a bipartisan approach toward alleviating the problems of the illegal immigrants and giving him a chance to have self-respect and be legal in their presence here and have movement towards the citizenship. and i don't think there's much doubt after the remarkable participation of hispanic voters are saying what can with do not to alienate this high degree of

influence in the next election. i would say immigration reform is the first major achievement. >> you're in the rarest of clubs as a former president. have you had any contact with the elder mr. bush when he was ill? >> yeah, i called him in his hospital rooms, and talked to him and his wife. he seemed quite vigorous and quite aware of what's going on in the world. we talked about good times together. as a matter of fact, strangely enough when he was in the white house and james baker was his secretary of state, i had my most intimate and productive and friendly relationship with george bush, sr. >> a wonderful insight. thank you. brian, back to you. >> kelly, thank you. interesting to get the perspective, tom brokaw we look at jimmy carter obvious what happened for president obama today. the second term eluded him among

the presidents in the modern era. >> yeah, and he thought he'd win, and he lost by a huge margin. had the final debate with ronald reagan and they walked away from that thinking they had won it as well. but it was time for ronald reagan, the country was prepared for him and he won the confidence of the country in the debate and his other performances as well. but jimmy carter i have been at the carter center on many occasions now, that place is booked morning, noon and night with different groups that come in and try to resolve the problems of poverty in africa and voting rights around the world. then you look at the activity of president clinton, for example, what he's doing with the global initiative. very touching to hear that president carter called remember in the hospital room. i heard from a family member of president bush the day before yesterday. he can't wait to get to maine is how he described it. he's feeling better. it will still be a tough haul for him. but nonetheless, it's uplifting

for everyone to know about that on this day especially. >> doris, the model of post presidencies, the carter center, the work they have done together as a couple really has set the standard. >> no question. i think it means that every president now after they get out have to be really active and feel like part of their legacy as we historians will write about -- maybe not me down the line, but they'll be considering what did they use their access to capital before. they can never rest. you used to think when they finished in the white house, thinking how can i beat them and now they have to beat the ex-presidents at the same time. >> savannah, you're the lawyer here. this is an interesting scene. we're looking at the chief justice along with carl levin. talk about the relationship, what is known about the relationship between the chief justice and the president. >> well, obviously, they have clashed before and sometimes quite publicly. we recall from the state of the union when the president railed against the court's decision in citizens united and there was --

there seemed to be open contempt in the air between the two gentlemen. but then as only history could have it, it was chief justice roberts who was the deciding vote in the health care decision that upheld that case -- upheld that law. they have quite a history together, including on this occasion. we all recall back at the inauguration in 2009 when chief justice roberts -- i guess the word mangled a bit the oath and they had to redo it at the white house. so they have that history together. there can be no greater legacy than who a president puts on the supreme court and there's always a possibility of a vacancy in these next four years. many of the justices are over 70. it's a good job. they all seem vibrant, they like the work. but there are some who may consider retiring. particularly those who make up the liberal ideological block of the court. president obama's second term comes to an end, some of them might think this is a good time

to retire. >> there's the cambridge wing of the court, justice breyer. the professor. long-time associate of senator ted kennedy whose presence looms over the capital. looms over this event and this luncheon. doris and i were remembering during this last event, that we learned that senator kennedy had collapsed. of course we later learned a series of health troubles. there's the president pro tem of the senate. chuck todd across town at the white house. chuck, anything you wanted to add to this conversation? >> well, no. but i can tell you that when it comes to where this -- where the president wants to argue with the court, i think that, you know, that's still sort of -- they're still pleasantly surprised they got that health care decision. i think we forget how this sort of intertwining of justice

roberts and barack obama, here they were under oath, but justice roberts bailed him out. imagine the campaign had the court gone the other way in health care. >> brian, we saw kathleen -- >> the democratic leader of the house of representatives nancy pelosi, accompanied by mr. pelosi. >> kathleen sebelius she's staying on, because this year is critical in terms of the implementation of the health care law. it's not going to be easy and a lot of the states have not set up the exchanges. >> the usual rural and flourishes again. >> ladies and gentlemen, the vice president of the united states, joseph r. biden jr. and dr. biden act companied -- accompanied by lamar alexander and mrs. lamar alexander.

♪ >> you heard that as well as we did this. this is a miscue. the vice president was prematurely announced into the room. >> i wondered what was taking him so long. usually he's not shy at showing. >> meantime, i hope they all like bison because that is the main course today for the lunch. steny hoyer came in instead as you look at leon panetta.

as we watch this, i am told we have the ability to speak to congressman john lewis. congressman, you're there? >> yes, i'm here. >> thank you very much for being with us today. i have to add a personal note. my condolences, i know you lost your wife lilian of 44 years over the new years' break. and i wanted to pass along my condolences and that of our entire team, congressman. >> why, thank you. >> you and i have made a bit of a tradition of talking on inauguration day. and we looked up last year's transcript, congressman. my question to you was do you worry about the expectations on this young man? and that's interesting because we would not think anymore of president obama as a young man given all we and he has been through. what do you think of the expectations on him now? >> well, i think we should still anticipate and expect more.

this president is prepared, ready, willing and able to lead the american people to greater heights. >> congressman, what did you think about the geometric and geographic symmetry today? the president was looking out in effect at dr. king, at the monument that's been placed there in the four years since this happened last. >> well, i tell you, brian, this is -- it's unreal to me. it is unbelievable. as lyndon johnson would say it's like history and fate coming together. for this president, this african-american, to be inaugura inaugurated for a second time on martin luther king day and can look out and see the likeness of martin luther king. to see jefferson, to see lincoln. it is just unreal. 150 years after the emancipation

proclamation, almost 50 years after the march on washington, dr. king delivered the i have a dream speech, it says something about the distance we have come, the progress we have made and for him to make a speech that was so inclusive, it was about black people, white people, asian americans, latino, native americans, straight, gay, that we're one people. we're one family. we are one house. we all live in the american house. >> well, about that last point, congressman, we want to let you go and enjoy your lunch, we all do live in the same house and there you are. you have gone from the struggle earlier in your life to a warrior in the house of representatives. you have got an anxious american public watching. a lot of them would really like to see some folks getting along in washington. what are the prospects for that? >> the prospects are very

bright. we're going to continue to work together and pull together, to look out for the common good. one thing i have endured the past three years was a group -- taking democrats and republicans, blacks, whites, latinos, asian americans back to some of the historic places in the civil rights movement. in a few months we'll if to birmingham, and to selma and feel that sense of community. to help us move closer together to the beloved community. if we can have it out there, we can have it here in washington in congress. >> look behind you. the president is head into lunch. we'll let you do the same. thank you very much, congressman john lewis of georgia for joining us. >> thank you very much. i'm going to join the president for lunch. >> i figured you might want to. let's watch as the president goes in after having crossed the rotunda as the president goes in

to join the lunch. >> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states, barack h. obama and mrs. obama escorted by mr. and mrs. charles schumer.

>> at some point, the cameras are turned off and they are allowed to dine in private. but there is a program for this lunch. senator schumer is riffling through his loose leaf notebook. >> he's running a good show. >> he apparently has found his welcoming remarks. glasses perched on his nose as usual. >> it wasn't on the script, but i picked it up. mr. president,

. >> ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. >> you'd think they have a gavel. >> mr. president, mr. vice president, honored guests, my colleagues on the joint hearing are pleased to welcome you to today's inaugural luncheon. in this historic room, we look around at the 35 statues representing men and women. well, one woman. thank you, illinois and senator

durbin, for the statue of francis willard. though i feel obligated to note she was born in rochester, new york. thankfully, she will soon have company when rosa parks completes her journey from the back of the bus to the front of statuary hall later this year. now, we look around and remember the men and women who helped define our nation. they like us faced obstacles and they like us worked hard to move this country forward. here in this hall, four presidents took the oath of office. here abraham lincoln served his single term in congress and john quincey adams, the only former president to return to serve in the house spoke out against slavery. today, we also remember an event

that took place outside this building, but reverberate within. this year marks the 50th anniversary of the reverend martin luther king jr.'s march on washington which spurred passage of the historic civil rights laws. we're honored to have with us a colleague, congressman john lewis, who was a speaker at that historic march. congressman lewis' life exemplifies the courage and sacrifice that have made our nation great. john, please stand and take a bow so we all can recognize you. behind us the painting we have

chosen for this luncheon is niagara falls. painted in 1856 by ferdinand wishard. for me as a new yorker niagara falls never fails to inspire us with the natural beauty of our great country. then and now, the mighty falls symbolize the grandeur, power and possibility of america. i want to thank my former senate partner, our great secretary of state, hillary rodham clinton for allowing us to borrow this beautiful painting from the state department collection. but frankly, we aren't here for the paintings. we're here for the food. while the theme of today's ceremony is faith in america's future, today's menu could be labelled faith in america's food. from the new england lobster to

the heirloom vegetables to the south dakota bison to the wonderful new york wines, each element was carefully chosen and expertly prepared. it was actually chosen by the tasting committee which consisted of debby daner, landrieu reed, diana cantor, paul pelosi, honey alexander and my wife, iris. they did a great effort, they did a great job and the effort was truly bipartisan. so if you don't like the food, you can't blame it on one party or the other. but i know that won't happen. i know you'll enjoy it. before we begin, it is my privilege to ask the reverend luis cortez jr., to deliver the invocation after which lunch will be served. >> please rise.

let us join together in prayer. dear god, in this room stand women and men of differing beliefs, different understanding of how you reveal yourself, how you reveal your will and your desire to us. yet at this moment, our nation joins with us in prayer and supplication that despite political differences within these chambers and despite the fact that at times we may take for granted things that are unique to our american democracy that we be united in hope and aspiration for the future of our nation. we pray for continued freedom, freedom to pursue happiness, freedom to create goodness, freedom to preserve the common good. we pray for continued liberty, liberty to preserve our rights. liberty to defend our understanding of good. liberty to develop ourselves fully as you would have us.

our nation prays with us as we ask that our leaders be endowed with wisdom. that they may know on which path they should move our nation. with courage that they may go against their own when necessary for our beloved america. with resolve that they not tire, but move unrelenting towards that common good. we pray a poliblessing on our h of representatives and our judicial and executive branches. bestow on every member spiritual protection and good health. we uphold president obama and his family in the same manner. we are thankful for the religious freedom of this nation, for our family and friends and this meal we now share. remembering that there are still those who still suffer hunger in our nation. we have all joined in this prayer in our particular god's name and i in the name of jesus christ, my lord and savior. amen and amen.

>> at this point, traditionally, senator schumer will welcome everyone to begin the meal and the television lights are cut and the television cameras go away and they are allowed at long last to get something to eat and enjoy lunch beyond the stare of live television cameras. we want to check in outside with craig melvin who's been on the national mall this whole time with some of the folks who came to town to see this event. >> hey, there, brian. you know, during the actual speech itself, the farther you got from the capitol, the less it was like an inauguration and it was sort of like a block party. you're looking at the remnants, the aftermaths of the block party. we have folks from all over the

country. we have wisconsin, we've got texas. we've got florida. and we've got a good crowd here from california as well. i want to introduce you to a special group of students. this is gracie. gracie, tell us about what brought you here. >> basically, just i wanted to come to see barack obama, give his inaugural speech. it is an honor to be here. i have never been to washington, so it's -- it's amazing just to be here at this moment. >> and we should note here that she is one of 61 students who came from california. they raised some $75,000 collectively to help defray the costs. matt tee owe, another one of the student, what stood out? >> what stood out was about the immigration issue. if he works on it, latinos will help america. we're here to help america, not help it lose respect. but the war, we're ending an era

of war. >> thank you. i want to introduce you to ruben. the teacher, the organizer of this group. how did you raise some $75,000 in four month, is that right? >> that's right. four months, $75,000. yeah, we did raffles. we did a rodeo. we sold candy apples. we had a few barbecues. >> and the students got one heck of a history lesson today as well. >> that's right. to be on the mall today was amazing. you know, the 61 students have worked incredibly hard. we got lots of support from the community. we could not be happier than to be here today. >> all right, ruben, thanks to you and thanks to all the students as well. thanks to the folks who stuck around, brian. park police telling us at one point that the crowd spanned all the way back to the washington monument as well. we'll send it back your way. >> our thanks to you and our guests as well. a good reminder that regardless of party or politic, a great thing to see one inauguration in person in your lifetime. we did indeed get notification from the park service just as the president started his

remarks that the mall was closed. that they had a capacity crowd and they were telling people to go to the grounds instead of the washington monument and lincoln memorial. it has emptied out now. again, the white you see on the surface is plastic artificial flooring to protect some newly laid sod that runs the length of the mall. a herculean effort to put in this much flooring. we're happy to be joined by valerie jarrett who ducked out of the luncheon and is in the rotunda to be with us. thank you for being with us. after hearing from your boss, the president, what is the one concrete thing you would point to on this inauguration day that you feel with certainty the obama administration can promise americans? >> well, it was an amazing day, brian. i think you could feel the

energy and the crowd. i'm so glad you had a chance to interview folks that were out on the mall, who come from our country, from all over. and it gave the president a chance to really talk about those founding values and principles. life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness. what struck me was the sense that we don't have to solve all of our long-term discussions about the size or role of government. the debates have been going on for centuries. but we do have to act together now. i think it was a message that should resonate widely across our country. touch the hearts and souls of so many people to love our country and believe that if we work together, that we can do big things still. >> so back to that one thing, respectfully. it's an anxious nation watching today. we have no shortage of problems. what do you think will be it in the early days of the second term? >> well, the president's looking forward to deliver his state of the union. you should take this inaugural address and the state of the

union as a package. he laid forth a few of the major items that he's going to focus on. he talked about immigration reform. something that we believe can pull our country together. we're going to have leaders and community organizers all devoted to that. we are seeing glimmers of hope from the republican party. he spoke about climate change. we have a great -- he got a great round of applause when he mentioned that. after the last summer of unbelievable weather, i think everybody has to acknowledge we need to do something about our environment. we have to create jobs and the president is committed to investing in education and community colleges and infrastructure, the roadways and the bridges and the ports that allow our country to be second to none. so i think, brian, it was a very uplifting speech. it was an emotional speech. you could tell he felt with conviction everything he said. judging from the response that he received from the crowd and that we have been hearing on twitter and from around the country, i think it was one that

should pull us together and it's up to us now to act. all of us. >> one more thing, ms. jarrett. you were last in the news, you were seen partly in that -- >> my leg, brian. >> the now famous photo of the white males in the oval office and what it did was it raised the issue of diversity for this administration. we have been sitting here talking to our colleague, doris kearns goodwin about how often in second terms a team of rivals can turn more into a team of friends as is the president's prerogative. the president for himself has said, we're not done yet. judge us at the finish. can you help that definition a little bit? will we be seeing a more diverse circle around the president? >> the president is very proud of the first cabinet and senior staff in the white house that were full of a range of perspectives and ideas. he believes he make better decisions if he hears views from all points of view. and women certainly have been included in that circle from the

beginning. don't forget he was raised by a single mom. he lived with his grandmother for a while who was a terrific role model for him. he's married to this competent, accomplished woman and he's got these two little girls. if you look at what he did in the first term, first two women on the supreme court, women, the fact that his major domestic policy initiative was through by his deputy chief of staff and now in the hands of kathleen sebelius so i think he'll surround himself with women, people of color, people of all walks of life and share his vision for the future of america. >> valerie jarrett, thank you very much. we'll let you go to lunch or meetings or whatever, your preference for this hour. thank you. let's take one final look at the mall before we squeak in a break here. we'll come back for the toasts which are a part of the luncheon, which is going on inside the capitol. the luncheon will kick off the second half of the day.

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of the first lady and her entournamee entourage coming down the steps. we noted there's much talk about her choice of clothing. we noted this was the same outfit we saw her going to church with the addition of a belt. there she is earlier in the morning. as we said. and to be honest about it, this inaugural weekend here in washington there has been much discussion about her, the most talked about first lady since jackie kennedy and her new hair cut, her new bangs, as there has been any matter of policy and robin, you have been a busy woman today. savannah was making fun of me earlier. >> you're obsessed about the bangs, it brings a chuckle. >> your expert critique of the clothing choice today and tell

us who made it, what the components are. that kind of thing. >> well, the designer of the coat and the dress which we only got a little glimpse of is thom browne. and he comes from the men's wear side of the business and sort of fittingly, the coat is made out of tie silk. what your own tie would be made of. and he recently started a woman's wear collection. but this is a guy whose business is still quite small. he recently got an investment from a japanese firm. >> i heard you schooling savannah on the "today" show that mr. browne is kind of responsible for the -- not entirely the skinny pants, but the high water look among men in men's fashion. >> for better or four worse, yes. the shrunken jacket and the tiny, high water trousers that show of your ankles.

the blame or the credit can be laid at thom browne's feet. >> kind of a half lauer as we know it in our business. >> i will say that thom does wear the look that he puts on the runway. >> what's good. what do you think the reviews will be of first lady's outfit across the board today? >> you know, i was a little struck by the fact that it was a much more subdued ensemble than four years ago. the lemon grass yellow, it was so bright. people talked about how it was cheerful, how it was optimistic. this seemed much more reserved and fitting for a second inauguration. >> the next big moment in kind of people curious about her look is tonight, correct? >> correct. the gown. >> the gown. and there's no advance intel. i guess this is closely guarded. >> it is quite possibly the closely guarded secret today. the preparation for her

inaugural trousseau began after the election. they go to the variety of the designers and they ask for their best effort. >> david, i know you wanted in on this. >> well, i just think she's so tall, as everybody can she. she works out a lot. very muscular arms. i think she looks elegant, but they play to how tall she is in choosing the outfits. >> she's smart -- a good question. >> thank you. >> in the sense that she does highlight her best attributes. but, you know, as i said, she very wisely says to designers, give me your best effort for me. and she doesn't try to micromanage, she doesn't try to say this is what i want. she goes to the best and they deliver the best. >> just as a general matter, that look for guys, for brian

and at our age, we can't get away with it. >> that's why we don't attend it. >> i think you will look great in capri pants. >> oh, boy. >> i won't even hazard judgment on that. >> well, i think we can all agree the little girls looked great in their attire. what are they wearing? >> j. crew. >> mrs. obama is wearing a high-end designer and wearing j. crew accessories, she does that mix and match. >> in between church this morning and walking in to -- on to the capitol, she added a belt and the belt was j. crew. so it was that kind of playing around with the high and the low. >> all right. look, it's germane. why is everyone staring at me. >> i'm not staring at you. >> it's a debate. you know? >> let's talk about the bangs. the bangs are the most talked about feature ever. >> and the president liked them. >> and this coincided with her

49th birthday. >> yes, it did. i think that the deeper meaning to those bangs is simply that after four years of staring at photographs of herself with the same hairdo, she decided it was time for a new one. >> she is -- >> with all credit to mimi eisenhower. >> she is the most photographed woman in the world. there's the daily news this morning that people in new york woke up to, in with a bang. you don't think people are talking about that? sorry to bring up the competing newspaper. robin, always great to have you. we will be -- we'll be looking for comment after tonight's gown. thank you. >> my pleasure. >> contributor to "the washington post." another break. we'll be back with more after this. (announcer) life is short.

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as you look at the flag atop the capitol, where inside both parties are sitting down to the traditional bipartisan inauguration day lunch before the procession and parade get underway. we'll go back inside for the toast. the toast, that's the next time we're allowed to have our cameras turned on. as we take stock of the speech we witnessed today, its meaning, its length, all kinds of things. peter baker, white house correspondent with "the new york times" is with us. you get to be among those who chronicle the first draft of history. what will your lead be tomorrow? >> well, i thought we heard today a very robust articulation

of modern liberalism in america. it's not where he talked about red america, blue america. but he said here's the values i'll bring to this, and i'll be much more forceful in pursuing them in a second term. he talked about collective action as opposed to individu individual -- rugged individualism. he was rebutting romney and ryan all over again on the nation of takers idea versus his idea saying we in effect built this together, not you -- you didn't build it alone. i thought you heard a much more forceful expression of that than i would have expected. >> these speeches are for the ages the long view. were you surprised to hear as many contemporary ten minutes ago references like newtown, a national tragedy, like a direct call back to this campaign? >> right. in fact, there was a cross of the state of the union here. he did preview what we'd hear from him in his legislative

agenda. he talked about the articulation of civil rights as a priority or the him. and particularly gay rights. stonewall reference. saying this is the next stage in the tradition of civil rights. very interesting. those are things that future historians will look back at. >> you did a preview video at "the new york times" as we headed into inaugural weekend and made such a good point there that the highs were not as high this time. and the lows were not as low. we didn't see two million people today. we saw a robust crowd, record for a second inaugural. also we don't home to an economy in free-fall. we go home to a economy still big trouble for too many americans, but in less trouble than it was four years ago. >> yeah. a more muddled moment. the war in iraq is over. he's laid out a path to the end of the war in afghanistan.

the economy is not in great shape, but not terrible obviously. he has to define what he wants to do in next four years. robert gibbs says you hope for a year and a half, but you realize it's half that. >> you and other publications have been pointing out, this is two years in peril leading up to the midterm elections. you have some red state democrats, you have a whole bunch of democrats up and a lot of people very worried. >> right. have you put them on the defensive with control which is very tough for the red state democrats. how he's going to push them in that regard. it's just as interesting how he pushes republicans. >> tom brokaw we mentioned earlier bill clinton has been vocal in saying to the democr s democrats, be careful on this gun issue and remember that it's a vast constituency out there. >> it is a very vast constituency and it's not only vast, but extremely well organized and it's got pressure points in some of the states that the president would like to move in this direction. i don't think anyone believes

that they're going to get some kind of a big ban on assault weapons. just not going to happen. they are probably going to get improved background checks. but there's something else going on here as well. which the white house is interested in doing and that's engaging more people in that debate and raising the level of discussion in this country about the place of both -- of the culture of violence in our country and getting people engaged in the idea that this is unacceptable in a civil society in which we take great pride in being ruled by law. you know, i have been saying that we condemn, for example, a shiite extremist who puts on a suicide belt and goes into the sunni mosque and blows himself up and yet we had four similar episodes last year in our country, and it became routine. i think what the administration can probably hope for best of all is to get the country engaged in that, make better background checks. got to do something about people who are mentally deranged and we don't -- and we know they are. then that's no place to put them.

we're unable to report them even. so if we do that, i think we'll go a long way. then finally, i think we have to make the idea that we all have a right to an assault weapon a large magazine of whatever capacity is socially acceptable. it may be constitutionally acceptable, but is it socially acceptable? i'm a gun owner. i have a closet full of guns and we have to have that debate in a reasonable way in my judgment. >> peter, this is one issue, you add to that the intangibles of the second term. the fact that fate has a funny way of intervening. >> yeah. >> and we've got a long four years ahead of us. >> this gun control issue is interesting because it was not on his to do list on election day and now it's become one of the central themes he's talking about. he's taking a risk he didn't often do in first term. he's pushing himself on an issue where he's likely not to win on the central element of it.

the assault weapon ban. he said it's worth fighting for even if he doesn't in fact win. a calculation he didn't make in the first term when he put aside climate change and gun control issues that the liberals wanted him to fight on. >> and if people want to rise up, particularly in the red states, that has to happen. where he in a more confident posture said, no, i'm going to drive the arguments about progressism, about the role of government, so he's going to pick and choose. which i thought was the level of pragmatism in a robust speech. >> well, his second term will be defined by his idea to marshal the public opinion. in the first term, he had the idea if he sits down with other republican leaders he can come do a deal, that's gone. he understands to get what he wants through congress he has to put pressure on the other party

to meet him halfway. >> and in ereached beyond the parties in this case in the final paragraphs saying, citizens, you have to get involv involved. i couldn't help but think as republicans look on this day a year ago at in time, they had no idea that barack obama would be elected and certainly by the numbers that he was, they were just starting what turned out to be in my judgment a destructive cycle of party debates. you presided at one of them in which they were cheering the death penalty. do doesn't mean that the death penalty doesn't have a place in life, but it signals where they were and what they wanted for the country and by the time they got to the fall they were in tough shape, quite honestly. the best of the republicans that i know, you know, they were wringing their heads and holding their heads saying we're not going to do very well if we continue on the marker. >> and the missing man, hidden

man, mitt romney in la jolla colorado, wat, california, watching or not. we don't. >> i think if you look back, it's probably the first time since 1988 when the losing candidate wasn't actually on the platform. because the other ones have been outgoing senators, vice presidents, or whatever. it's interesting in the past we have brought the two men, always been men together, forced them together on a day to at least celebrate american democracy. this time, mitt romney isn't on the platform. paul ryan is though. he's the reflection of that last campaign in this next congress, what he does and where he takes that party will be interesting to see. just the other day he pushed them toward defusing the confrontation over the debt ceiling. interesting to see how it plays out. >> thank you for stopping by on a busy day for you as well. we're going to fit another break in.

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and a word about beyonce. one of the hardest songs in the world to sing. say nothing of singing it before a global audience. say nothing of what cold weather does to the throat. and tough acoustics with an orchestra down front. magnificent. huge reviews here in the studio. i'm getting funny looks from savannah guthrie. we are back and as we continue to tell you our next event is the speeches inside the luncheon. that's when the lights will come back up. cameras are allowed to show you what's going on inside. but for the folks here in washington, the next event is the procession. the parade, when they get to see their president, most of them will get to see their president through many thick inches of bulletproof glass, giving him and every other occupant in the limousine a greenish tint.

he may walk outside the limousine. but ever hopeful with clouds spreading over the washington area, they are there and our team is as well. starting with natalie morales. she is at 4th and constitution. how have the crowds filled in over the last few hours? >> you know, brian, i think it's been a slow build, but finally we see the big crowds here. we have been talking about 500 to 700,000 expected all along the 1.2 miles of the parade route. you mentioned there along the national mall, they were already at capacity. they closed that area. so i imagine the people filtered out here to catch the president as well. you see a huge security presence as well. over 6,000 police from across the country and other guards here to help out with security as well. because as you mentioned, historically, the president and the first lady have stepped out of the vehicle at some point along the route and that is surely what the crowds here are anticipating. now, right here, this is the

parade merge area. this is really our first vantage point once the president comes from the capitol building. this is where the parade then begins. he meets with about eight floats and there are participants from every state. 15,000 participants taking part in the parade. they'll march their way along pennsylvania avenue over to the white house. we have already seen buses taking some perhaps dignitaries and family members of people perhaps at that luncheon. make their way over to the white house already as well. so preparations in place there. all getting ready. people here excited to see that phase where the president will get to see hello to the public here. brian? >> all right. natalie, we'll come back when your moment arrives. natalie morales. further on down the road, erica hill is at freedom plaza in washington. erica? >> hey, brian, where we are is just a couple of blocks from the

white house. as the buses went by, you could hear a lot of the people here cheering. this was a little bit slow to fill, but as we are swiftly approaching the start of the parade, the stands have really filled in here. in the immediate bleacher section in the giant riser, we are told thosetands can hold about 4,500 people. those are just the people seated in the area. a number of other people will be watching the parade from this spot and they'll be standing. we've been talking to the people in the crowd. we have met a fair amount of people who are back for the second time. they felt they should be here for the second inauguration. also a number of families who are experiencing this day together. children as young as 15 months old. we met some 11-year-old twins. a couple of teenagers all saying they were interested in witnessing history with their parents. one teacher from houston told us she was looking forward to going back and sharing things with her

third grade class who had written letters to the president and had received a response from him. a lot of interest and a lot of excitement as people wait for the parade to come this way. of course, they are hoping that he will as you mentioned follow what is basically become a tradition since jimmy carter first walked in 1977. they are hoping to see the president get out and walk and maybe get out from behind that glass for a little while as he makes his way past them here in freedom plaza. >> all right, thanks, we'll come back to you as it all approaches. at some points in the crowd it is almost a one to one ratio of spectators to law enforcement as you saw. it is terrifically well organized. looks like members of the new jersey state police there in the uniforms on the right. you have military, a lot of guardsmen. you have different state troopers from different states. local police and so on and so forth. this is easily the most heavily secured president in american

history and this is just the way we live now. we see it at all major events. it's been very, very obvious in this city these past few days. al roker is further on down in lafayette park across the street from the white house. and al, first of all, i'm going to ask you to do your day job here. we're looking at -- i would put them at cirrus clouds where we are. but they are lowering and thickening a bit. as you know, we had an early morning hours upwards of eight inches of snow in the eastern reaches of pennsylvania. al, i'm looking to know if there's any precipitation in your forecast? >> not during this parade, i think it will hold off. if we get anything, it's not going to be so bad. i could try to look toward the president. he actually is now the forecaster in chief. back in september, he was asked about in inauguration and he said -- he predicted that it would be warmer today than it

was for his last inauguration back in 2009 when it was 28 degrees. well, right now it's about 37, 38 degrees. and of course, he has the third coldest inauguration, second coldest was jimmy carter with 22 degrees. coldest was ronald reagan when it was 7 degrees above zero. and they ended up canceling this parade and he was inaugurated inside the capitol. but the good news is we'll stay fairly clear. the buses going by and of course the reviewing stand gets a clear shot of this. you can see as the buses go by, there's the reviewing stand further down pennsylvania avenue. in between inaugurations, it's in brian williams' backyard as a gazebo which is awfully nice if you bring it out and they can use it every now and again. >> al, tell us about your choice of hats today. >> well, you know, i went to the elmer fudd shop to get my choice

of hat today and i'm wascally wabbit. in case it gets cold, i can drop the flats, all is good. in case the snow does come. >> al roker who is flaps up pending precipitation later today. al, thanks. we'll be coming back to you. glad to have you. thank you for the forecast. chuck todd is also at the reviewing stand in lafayette park with a very special guest today and a voice well known in these parts. chuck? >> absolutely, brian. i have got charlie brotman with me. he's the eyes and the ears of the president today for the parade. he's the announcer from 15th street to 17th street. but what he says about the parade and how he introduces everybody is what the president will be hearing in his reviewing stand. this is his 16th straight inaugural. he did it the first time for harry truman in 1949. >> they challenged me. they say it was lincoln.

but no -- it was truman. i was a stadium announcer. >> for the washington senators, rightal? >> washington senators. i introduced president eisenhower. we thought he'd be there for ten minutes, he liked me, i thought that was it. then november of that same year, 1956, i get a call from the white house that says are you charlie brotman? yes, i am. are you the one who introduced the president? yes. well, you must have impressed him because he's telling people at the white house staff to go seek me out. he wants me to introduce him again. i said what an honor. i'd love to do that. where and when? well, the where is pennsylvania avenue. the when was january 20, 1957. >> been doing it ever since. >> i said that's the parade. >> so tell me your favorite parade moment back. >> i would think that reagan was

the best parade. normally a parade is about 2 1/2 hours. his was over four hours and he brought half of hollywood to town and it was really exciting. >> well, charlie, i know you have to get to work. get prepared here. brian, as -- there's a whole bunch of vip guests that have been bussed over here. they were the ones sitting there during the swearing-in. and now they get the good seats here for the end of the parade and they get to hear the wonderful charlie give the play-by-play of the parade, 16th straight inaugural for him. >> thank you. our best to charlie brotman. if you wait long enough even baseball comes back to washington, d.c. as we have seen in our lifetimes. chuck todd at the reviewing stand. we'll come back to all when the action gets down to them. again, we are awaiting the toast, the start of the parade. another break, we'll continue after this. [ male announcer ] playing in the nfl is tough. ♪ doing it with a cold,

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t-minus nine minutes. [ ding ] [ female announcer ] pillsbury cinnamon rolls. let the making begin. ♪ america's possibilities are limitless for we possess all the qualities in this world without boundaries demands. youth and drive. diversity and openness. an endless capacity for risk and a gift for reinvention. my fellow americans, we are made for this moment and we will seize it, so long as we seize it together. >> one of the quotes from the second inaugural of barack obama today. our next guest is well known to all our viewers as our chief foreign affairs correspondent just back from a -- let's just say more harrowing adventure

than ever overseas, richard engel. you notice -- a glaring omission from today's inaugural address. >> there was no talk of foreign policy at all. there was one reference to a decade of wars being over. well, not really. not if you're one of the tens of thousands of american troops still in afghanistan on patrol this morning, then the war isn't over. it's not over by a long shot. it's not over for their families. and then the other one is continuing to promote democracy around the world from asia to africa to the middle east. that's a very sort of generic policy. i have been listening to your coverage all morning and you have made several references to how foreign policy or foreign events or unpredicted events can change your plans and expectations, and if you look at the way the world is shaping up right now, it seems very likely that a major foreign event is going to dominate the president's agenda coming forward in this year. particularly in the middle east. and i've been speaking to some

people very close to the obama administration, who played a big part in his foreign policy team and i think they realize big challenges are coming, particularly in the middle east. >> and what's coming is the state of the union which is the president's next chance to do a deeper dive and get granular, but fate has a funny way. >> and things are a little bit out of his control. i don't know what he would say in the -- in the state of the union that's very different from what he said here. he can outline principles which are we support democracy. but if you're dealing with a region that is collapsing, state implosion in parts of the middle east, renewed and revised tribalism and conflicts, i don't know how defending a general principle of supporting democracy is going to contain the challenges in a very big

region of the world. >> in a way, david, this mirrors the conference you had yesterday on "meet the press." it's kind of the changing world, the unanticipatables, the algerias that we did not know were out there a week ago. >> and this question too that richard had addressed, what are america's new tools to exercise influence? we're as unlikely to commit large numbers of troops to affect a particular outcome. this administration has even been sort of still when it comes to syria, about whether there's any support for the rebels or what that ultimately looks like. richard has talked as he did yesterday on "meet the press," there's what some people call al qaeda 3.0. we have a series of failed states around the globe and al qaeda looking for new states to set up shop. and this president is on record in supporting a robust effort to rout al qaeda wherever it manifests itself. >> i don't think it's just al qaeda. when you have state collapse in the middle east and this is a

region that has obviously vast economic importance, but also 300 million people and geopolitical importance. there's a lot of waterways there. there's the suez canal. stretches from beirut to basra. that's the region that i think you'll see a lot more conflict. regarding algeria, the state department has confirmed that three americans were among killed in the terrorist atrocity that unfolded over the weekend and that seven americans were survivors and managed to escape or be rescued. >> tom, also on "meet the press" you talked about how this whole corridor, if looked at one way is just dangers stacked up on each other. >> right. i describe it as a very large forest under very dry conditions. and you don't know when the lightning strike is going to start another fire or conflagration somewhere. algeria was a perfect example of that. richard and i have been talking about for some time now. and there are still states out there on the map that are

simmering at this point. saudi arabia is a perfect example of that. we have enormous investments in saudi arabia in terms of oil and cultural investments. tucked right up against iran. they're kind of stuck in neutral at the moment. they have a leadership that's old. they have a conservative movement at the bottom with wahhabis and they have 300,000 highly educated 30 somethings who have no jobs. they just wander around the shopping centers in saudi arabia and this will be a pressure point for them. then you go along the gulf, bahrain, which is still an issue. tucked up against saudi arabia. what is striking to me, richard, i'm curious about, you talked to the people who are going to be in charge of the foreign policy for the next four years, both militarily and diplomatically. is there a sense that there's going to be a complete review of american foreign policy in the middle east? are we going to take a fresh look at what our interests are, how we respond to what is going on there, and militarily what we

do around the world, especially when it comes to counterinsurgency? >> in terms of counterterrorism, i spoke to military people and they're concerned their job right now is just mowing the grass. just looking after -- looking for terrorist, look for al qaeda members. killing them and then looking for the next one. that's not a dynamic, long-term strategy. just mowing the grass. in terms of this foreign policy team, i think there's a desire not to focus on the middle east. to look elsewhere. that the middle east and the sunni shiia conflict which is going to become front and center and which we because of the iraq war deeply involved ourselves in, there's a desire for this administration to focus elsewhere. if they're going to fight and kill each other, let them. we're going to focus on other kinds of issues. clean energy, focus on asia. i'm not sure if that's really possible. >> and savannah, as someone who used to cover the white house, speaking of best laid plans, peter baker reminded us gun

control was not in this proposed speech on election day. it wasn't one of the front and center agenda items. >> the same way we noted earlier that the arab spring was unthinkable perhaps when the president took the oath of office four years ago and it's invaded his agenda, uninvited, but now he's dealing with it. look, on the one hand you look at foreign policy as an opportunity for the president as well, and in the latter part of a second term. we talked about the political calendar, how that's precious little time to accomplish something domestically. that's why presidents in the second term go to foreign policy as a part of legacy. i wonder how the president is viewed on the world stage? four years ago we talked about the rock star reception around the world. i wonder how people feel now. >> i think he's viewed because of the arab spring very differently. he's not viewed as a passive observer, someone who saw this

wildfire in the dry woods of the middle east coming and watched it burn. if you ask many world leaders, they think that the obama administration was deeply responsible for the way things developed. if you ask leaders in saudi arabia, they blame president obama for unleashing the arab spring, by throwing mubarak under a bus, for allowing this -- the sequence of events to transpire. i don't think people in the obama administration accept that view, but when you ask world leaders they look back and they say under the president of the united states' watch, this is what happened and this is the course he took and will be remembered by in a very important region. >> richard engel, thank you for being part of the team. we continue to await more from inside what has been a private luncheon thus far on capitol hill. we continue to await the inaugural parade, all of it ahead of us. we'll be right back after this. ♪

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luncheon goes on. kelly, what are the smoke signals from inside? >> well, we have been seeing movement and expecting to see the president to depart here. we get to see the official toast and cameras can come back in here. we know that the statue of martin luther king has been placed in the rotunda. we have seen very little in and out, and we have caught a few glimpses of the members of congress have come in and out. we're not getting much of a description of what's happening inside, but once the president leaves here we'll talk to the select group of 220 who were enjoying the lunch today. it's one of the evens in talking to them before hand that's particularly special because of the intimacy of it on a day that is one they'll remember well after this congress is over. we expect to see the president shortly. we'll certainly get back to you as soon as we do. >> thank you. i'll take up on that, kelly o'donnell in the rotunda. let's go out to the east front

of the capitol. luke russert is standing by. >> good afternoon, brian. i'm on the east front of the capitol and if you tuned into the inauguration 40 years ago, you'd have seen it. but this is where the motorcade as well as the troops and the honor guard and the ceremonial guard from each branch of service is lining up for a review by the president that he'll do once the lunch is complete. the house of representatives is over my right shoulder and for the president's first term they have seen him as a blocking minority. i got a comment from kathy mcmorris rodgers, already the president has not left the capitol. already coming out with a statement that says, quote, elegant words must be matched with deliberate absence to establish the fiscal health. the ones she mentioned in his address, she's coming out against the president for senate inaction on a budget. the house is in session tomorrow. we expect a vote on their plan

to raise the debt limit on wednesday. it shows you, brian, how quickly things go from the ceremonial to the political. >> and luke, it strikes me if we had a president departing town today instead of staying in, you'd be standing on the helipad. >> which would be a cool place to be. you're a security aficionado as i am, i have never seen so many motorcades in one place at the same time. >> we have covered these national security events, the conventions and inauguration. it has really gotten to a choking extent for trying to get around the city and just the degree to which, you know, it's seldom questioned because we citizens think public officials have done what they need to do. but i'll tell you what, our country has changed a lot. especially since 9/11. this is what we live with now. with the sound of a helicopter overhead, luke russert on the

east front, where the motorcade staging area is and where we'll see the president emerge. we want to take you back to a very special moment during this morning's inauguration when a promising young artist from massachusetts by way of north carolina got up and took to the microphone. he's said to be very close to a recording contract. we're looking forward to hearing much more from him in the years ahead. ladies and gentlemen, james taylor. thank you very much for being with us. >> thank you. >> first of all, we were just talking about beyonce and the difficult mechanics of doing what you did today. cold air, singers' throats don't like. the acoustics are tough. you have to wear ear monitors. you at least got to produce your own music. then there's the echo from a mile away coming back at you. you did pretty well. you survived. >> well, you know, the ear monitors help a lot. but thanks, it was a great moment. >> then there's the fact that the leader of the free world is

sitting six feet behind you. >> it's surreal. but, you know, we worked really hard to come to this moment, to get to this day. and it was a great -- it was a very gratifying, you know, wonderful thing to be up there, to be -- it was an honor to be there today. >> you have been out there for him before. you said something so interesting about how in your view bruce springsteen took on more risk with his early and often support of barack obama. why him more than you? >> well, i think everybody has gotten used to sort of seeing me as a yellow dog democrat over the years, and it's not so much a surprise what my -- what my politics are. so i just -- for him to sort of, you know, break into the political, you know, to come out as a citizen and support someone

i thought it was really -- first of all, it was hugely effective and then it was -- i think it was very brave too. >> we've heard from a lot of democrats, a lot of citizens, a lot of democrats in the creative community that they have -- not had their he hearts broken, but they shared the same disappointment over the last few years. are you as steadfast in your support of the president as four years ago today? >> i definitely am. i think the election, this confirmation of the country's support for this president is very important thing. i think in 2008, we were -- there was a reaction to cheney/bush that i think was a very -- you know, that was a large part of what we were experiencing. it was a very quick run. it was like a quick end run that obama did. it was very swift, very -- took the nation by surprise. but i think we have had a chance to get to know this man. to see him in office and also to see him working on a very

difficult circumstance. i think, you know, i like many other americans have had my faith in him justified, validated, confirmed. i'm very much behind him. >> as it looks like they're cleaning up after lunch, i did bring one photo with me that i wanted to ask you about. i've wanted to ask you about it for half a century as a music fan and a fan of your work. it appeared in "the new york times," and i think we have it loaded in the control room in new york. brett, if you have that, put it on the air full screen. it's coming. it's coming. it looks to me like a government boondoggle that involved government funding. what is that thing? >> no funds were used in the construction. i did a solo tour.

i actually toured with myself and a keyboard player, but wanted to is use -- we wanted drums on a particular number. my only political song in fact called "slap leather." and that machine played the drums. it is important not to get too close to that thing when you turn it on because it will take an arm off. >> perfectly good drummers out there. i'm told i need to interrupt you only for the president of the united states. i'm told the toasts are getting underway at the luncheon. here again, senator schumer who may have mentioned he represents the state of new york. >> senator, thank you. ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the old hall of the house. the people's representatives met in this chamber over five decades prior to the civil war. and so it's a wonder they made it here that long. you see the acoustics were terrible. you just couldn't hear anything. or in some spots, you could hear

everything that was being said in the room. to make -- it was a mess. and of course it was also at a time when our leaders weren't hearing each other all that well to begin with. but here it was a century and a half and many architectural improvements later and we gather in the old hall to better hear one another and to renew the appeal to better angels. we do so amid the rituals and symbols of unity, none more important than our flag. now, this year old glory will mark a milestone of her own. it was the spring of 1813 that the new commander at ft. mchenry ordered a flag to be flown over the entrance to the baltimore harbor. it should be so large he said that the british will have no difficulty in seeing it from a distance.

for such an enormous banner a mother and daughter team had to stitch together overlapping strips of wool to make the product whole. from many, one. so a grand flag was born and not long after that, an anthem to go with it. today, whenever we put up the flag, whatever we hear it snapping in the wind, it gives us proof of the blessing that we call democracy. the symphony of service and faithfulness in which we will all play a part. so in the spirit of harmony, i'm proud to present the flags that flew over this battalion of democracy today to president barack obama and vice president joe biden. and to you, gentlemen, i say congratulations and god speed.

>> i am now pleased to introduce my friend and colleague and partner in this inaugural endeavor, senator lamar alexander to the podium to present the official photographs. >> thanks, chuck. mr. president and michelle, mr. vice president and jill, president and mrs. clinton, president and mrs. carter and chief justice, one former president who's not here today, honey and i were sitting next to him, george h.w. bush and barbara a few years ago and before he got up to speak helened over and said to

barbara, what should i speak about? she said in a very loud whisper, about five minutes, george. i'll take about one minute. there will probably come a time, mr. president, and mrs. obama, and to the bidens when your children are trying to explain to their grandchildren that this day actually happened. and if those great-grandchildren don't believe it, we have pictures. and these pictures are for you and we wish you the best as you worked for that common ground. mr. cortez spoke about it in the invocation and as you so eloquently talked about in the description of the american character today. >> okay.

i would now like to introduce the distinguished majority leader of the house of representatives, eric cantor, to present the lennox inaugural gifts. >> good afternoon. on behalf of the joint congressional committee on inaugural ceremonies, it's my honor to present the president and mrs. obama, vice president and dr. biden, with these beautiful crystal vases. the vases are the finest qual y quality, full lead crystal, from lenox china and crystal. the images of the united states capitol and the white house are hand cut and etched into the crystal. the crystal bases on which the vases sit are inscribed with the name of the recipient and today's date.

president obama, mrs. obama, will receive the vase depicting the white house. vice president and dr. biden will receive the vase depicting the united states capitol. the vases were designed by timothy carter and hand cut by master glass cutter pete o'rourke. at this time, my wife diana and i invite the president and mrs. obama and vice president biden and dr. biden in looking at the beautiful vases.

>> okay. i'm now pleased to invite my colleague, house democratic leader nancy pelosi to the podium to present the mementoes

that you all will receive as you leave statuary hall. >> thank you very much. thank you very much. mr. chairman schumer, and cochair, vice chair alexander, for a wonderful, wonderful inauguration. mr. president, mr. president, mr. president, first lady, first lady, first lady, dr. biden, to all of our distinguished guests, so far you have heard of gifts to the presidents and the vice presidents. i'll tell you about a gift for you. freedom now stands on the dome of the capitol of the united states. may she stand there forever, not only iform, but in spirit. those were the words that were expressed 150 years ago by the commissioner of public buildings as the statue of freedom was

placed atop the capitol during the presidency of president lincoln. that expression of the spirit of freedom is what we want you to take with you today and is contained in this portfolio of essays you will receive from the joint congressional committee on inaugural ceremonies. along with a framed depiction of the capitol as it appeared at the start of the civil war. you heard it well described by chairman schumer during his remarks. today, the statue of freedom in that spirit of freedom marches over the capitol as another president from illinois takes -- has taken the oath of office. despite the challenges of our times, at home and abroad, we heard in president obama's inaugural address a message of hope, a vision of peace, progress and prosperity and a promise of freedom for all. may god bless you, president

obama, vice president biden and your families. congratulations with much -- with wishes for much success for you, and this is the success of our nation. may god bless you all. may god bless america. enjoy your memento. >> mr. president and dr. biden, and your whole wonderful family, i now rise to toast the vice president of the united states and my former colleague and my friend, joe biden. mr. vice president, you have been an extraordinary leader of this nation, and a true partner to our president these past four

years. you play many roles, adviser, advocate, implementer, persuader, strategist and most important of all, friend. we're confident this unique partnership between you and our great president will only grow stronger and more productive over the next four years. mr. vice president, on the surface, we don't share a common ancestry. but on a deeper level we do share a common story. an american story. of achieving our dreams, thanks to the sacrifice of our immigrant forebears. as you embark on your well deserved second term, in the spirit of those who came before us, and on behalf of all of americans, we offer you all our support and warmest wishes and we say to you -- salute and

cheers, to our great vice president. >> mr. president and all the presidents assembled, i always enjoyed this lunch more than anything we did in the capitol. because the 36 years i served in the senate i had the great honor of being include in this lunch with former presidents and vice presidents and because it really is -- it really is a place where we get together in a way unlike any other time when we gather.

it's always a new beginning every time we're in this room. and there's a sense of possibilities and a sense of opportunity and a sense sometimes of maybe we can really -- really begin to work together. and chuck, we may come from different ancestors, but as all our colleagues know over the years we're cut from the same cloth. and that we share that same common absolute conviction that was expressed by harry truman when he said america was not built on fear. america was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand. that's what you have done throughout your career. that's what almost everyone in this room has done. at the end of the day, it's an absolute confidence.

absolute confidence, there's not a thing, a single thing this country can't do. i spent too much time with all of you not to know you feel it with every fiber in your being, that there's nothing, nothing, that this country isn't capable of. the president kids me occasionally. i know harry reid calls me a senate man. i am proud to have been a senate man. i am proud to be president of the senate. but that pride is exceeded only by the fact that i'm proud to be vice president of the united states, serving as barack obama's vice president. it's been a great privilege -- it's a great privilege of my life. as a matter of fact, if the president would knoforgive me o as we're walking out, savoring

the moment, looking out at the americans assembled, i found myself -- it surprised me even and i said, thank you. thanks. thanks for the chance. thanks for the chance to continue to serve. and so folks, i raise my glass to a man who never, never, never operates out of fear. only operates out of confidence and i'm toasting you, chuck. and a guy -- a guy who i plan on working with. you can't get rid of me, man, remember i'm still part of the senate. god bless you, chuck. you have done a great job. you too, lamar. chuck schumer. good to see you pal. >> the best part to these events are unscripted. i'd now like to introduce our

senate majority leader, my good friend and really foxhole buddy, a great man, harry reid, to offer the official toast to the president. >> americans today are wishing the president god speed for the next four years. people all over the world are looking at us and our exemplary democracy and wishing the president the best in the years to come. i've had the good fortune over the last many years to work on very close personal basis with president obama. i've watched him in the most difficult challenges that a person could face.

i've watched him do this with brilliance, with patience, with courage, wisdom and kindness. for which i have learned a great deal. so mr. president, i toast and pray for you, your wonderful family and our great country. four more successful years, barack obama. >> here here.

>> michelle and the speaker of the house came to a meeting of the minds that i may be delaying the proceedings too much. so i'm just going to be extraordinarily brief and say thank you. to my vice president who has not only been an extraordinary partner, but an extraordinary friend. and to dr. jill biden, who has partnered with my wife with an extraordinary generosity on behalf of our men and women in uniform. to the entire cabinet that is here, i'm grateful to you. some you have are staying and some of you are leaving, but i know the extraordinary sacrifices that you and my team

have made to try to advance the cause of progress in this country and i'm always going to be grateful to you for that. to the speaker of the house and nancy pelosi, to democratic leader harry reid as well as republican leader mitch mcconnell and to all the congressional leaders and all the members of congress who are here, i recognize that democracy is not always easy. and i recognize there are profound differences in this room. but i just want to say thank you for your service and i want to thank your families for their service, because regardless of our political persuasions and perspectives i know that all of us served because we believe that we can make america for future generations. and i'm confident that we can

act at this moment in a way that makes a difference for our children and our children's children. you know, i know that former president carter, president clinton, they understand the irony of the presidential office which is the longer you're there, the more humble you become. and the more mindful you are that it is beyond your powers individually to move this great country. you can only do it because you have extraordinary partners and a spirit of goodwill and most of all, because of the strength and resilience and fundamental goodness of the american people. and so i would like to join all of you, not only in toasting the extraordinary work that chuck schumer and lamar alexander and others have done to create the special day for us, but i also want to thank each and every one

of you for not only your service in the past, but hopefully your service in the future as well. i would like to offer one last toast and that is to my extraordinary wife, michelle. there is controversy about the quality of the president. no controversy about the quality of our current first lady. cheers. thank you, everybody. god bless you. god bless america. >> okay. now that everyone is standing, you can remain standing because it's my privilege to introduce the -- his eminence, archbishop demetrios to deliver the benediction.

>> thank you for the extraordinary and unique honor bestowed upon me to offer the benediction. it's the greatest honor in my life. let us pray as we prepare to go forth in peace, confident in america's bright future. in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit. o god of war, we give thanks to you and praise you on this day. as did our first president on the day of his inauguration, for we too resolve once more to the benign parent of the human race in humble supplication in the

words of president washington. we bless and praise your holy name for good gracious favor and divine blessing upon the united states of america. our president, barack obama, and vice president joseph biden, as they command the second term of their sacredness abilities in the highest office of our country. bless, preserve and keep them and their families safe and healthy. together with all who serve our nations, especially in the congress, the judiciary and the armed forces, here and everywhere who heroically and sacrificially defend our pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.

heavenly father, may we ever abide in this land of opportunity and freedom in perfect tranquility. faithful to our foundations and ever building a more prosperous, just a more distant society for all our citizens. may we always share our faith and hope for the future with the whole world through your divine and gracious love. amen. >> amen. >> thank you. thank you. >> okay. please be seated for a moment.

well, i think everyone will agree this has been a wonderful inaugural ceremony, a delicious lunch, but it's now time to head to our next happy stop -- the presidential parade. like many of you i have marched in hundreds. but as we optimistically step into the next page of american history, under the leadership of president obama, i have a feeling this is going to be something truly special. so thank you for being here. god bless you all. god bless america. >> the irrepressible democratic senator from new york, your luncheon host, toast master

general did everything except look under the chair to see who takes the centerpiece after lunch. we heard toast, benedictions. we see a moment between bill clinton and speaker boehner. so many great political combinations. people who haven't seen each other in a while. people who probably spend more time together than they do. on days like today it's easy to picture the american people wishing that this kind of spirit would live on longer than one day, one lunch. but as is too often the case in our modern politics, they're at each other either by midnight tonight or by tomorrow, given how split we are. we have had the unusual distinction, this is the first time for all of us on the panel to watch the luncheon with james taylor. you were defending your use of a drum machine rather than good

drummers. >> well, it doesn't take the place of a perfectly good drummer. it was a limited application. >> i'm giving you hard time. >> i know. >> what do you think of what you have seen here today as a veteran watcher of politics? >> brian, i agree with you entirely. it seems like -- well, first of all, i think the inauguration is our day of celebration, and really our election and our choosing our leaders, they're central to our democracy and it is our sacred duty to get to this day and to inaugurate a new administration or in this case a second term. i think it's -- somebody yesterday quoted washington as saying it's not the first president that you inaugurate. it's when you inaugurate a second president that that's e the -- that's the american exception. and the way -- the way that we

balance power, the way we transfer power and the degree to which the citizenry is involved in their own self-government, these are essentially american things. you know, it's important for us to remember that we are the light of the world. we were the blue print or the new dynamic and it -- i don't know. i got really wrapped up in this last election and i just have -- it's made me think long and hard about the things that i regret most is that we only have 50% participation of people in our voting and i wish we could find a way to get more people to the polls, to get more people to take their civic duty of self-government seriously. >> well, this is an order. go to your hotel room and write

a song, tonight, while it's still fresh. that's what we depend on you to do in our society. as you can tell, we are looking at the doorway now. we have been staring at it for quite a while. it's now familiar to our viewers. we're expecting the president as members of the secret service have come out prior to him, we're expecting the president to come out of there. they will walk back across the rotunda, as these good folks try to enter. and then as you heard senator -- look at that shot is right. as you look at senator schumer, as you heard senator schumer say, we'll start the second half of this day. last time we saw this camera angle from the rotunda was for senator daniel inouye when he was lying in state at the u.s. capitol. medal of honor recipient. highly decorated world war ii veteran. and at the time of his death, the senior most member of the u.s. senate.

kelly o'donnell is just outside that doorway. part of the press bullpen there in the rotunda. kelly, what's going to happen here? >> well, when you talked about senator schumer not asking people to look under their seats, there were gift bags and a senator tells me there were chocolates in there. this has been a day for toasts and words, but we expect a much more quiet moment to happen in just a matter of minutes before all of the pomp of the parade and the parties tonight. we have been told by sources in the room that the president will take a moment to acknowledge the bust of martin luther king jr. that has been placed here in the rotunda to mark the holiday. 84 years after his birth. 45 years after his death. we have been told that it will be a quiet moment. this is one of those unscripted times. not a part of the official program. but we have been told that the president wanted to take a moment to make that observation. as though after all of the good wishes and the prayers and that

sort of collegial interchange that we have been seeing between members of the parties, there are these solemn points where as you heard the president say the longer he is in office the more humble he feels. you get a sense of that in this spectacular rotunda where we have been all day. and there are some folks who have gathered here, some members of congress had just passed by and there's a sense of the cold january air coming through the door because we know next the president will review the troops on the east side of the capitol. so we're waiting for the president. >> that's right. we'll stay on this picture until the president exits. we don't want to miss a moment of that. the east front where luke russert was reporting from earlier is where the motorcade is assembled and where members of the armed forces are assembled and here comes the president into the rotunda.

>> thank you so much. >> no less an authority on the

civil rights than john lewis, made it a point again that there's a through line that without the martin luther king jr., there's no second inauguration or a first of president barack obama and tom brokaw, that moment right there kind of brought the line through even further. >> you know, it's hard to describe the power of that moment for those of who were working in the south in the '60s and part of the generation that came of age through the civil rights movement. one of the great big ideas in american life that unified us ultimately and dr. king gets such great, great credit for that, john lewis i know when he was just a young activist and the student on the nonviolent coordinating committee in atlanta and at the time he issued a statement saying that he understood the goals of the north vietnamese, trying to reclaim their place in his country and it cost julian bond his place in the state legislature. this is the monument to dr.

king. it's very much worth seeing if you come to washington. in fact, television can't capture the power of it when you go there and you can see jefferson from where he is. and then they have a number of his inscriptions. andy young who is a close aide said martin would be astonished at how much we have changed in this country. we have an african-american president, an african-american culture that is very powerful in terms of the economy. still a rising tide. still have issues to deal with when it comes to race, indisputably. but this day is one more example of how this country moves forward in all of its parts. we can never forget on this occasion, we are an immigrant nation. everyone you saw on that stage, their families came from somewhere else seeking what we all think of as the american dream. >> if you're just joining us,

we're awaiting the sight of the president on the east front of the capitol. to tom brokaw's point, you know, you look at john lewis as one of 535 elected representatives and yet, of course, he stands out among them for the fact that he was beaten to within an inch of his life during the civil rights struggle. his background is different. he has represented his district for many, many terms in the house. he has seen battles come and go in the house. nothing that comes close to what he faced in real life. >> it's interesting to me, brian. for the generation that this president inspire, a younger generation of voters who participated for the first times in 2008, it's the gay rights that defines their era and president obama mentioned the gays for the first time. that's self-evident and when he

speaks about it sparingly, he keeps trying to move that march forward to the new generation of people who feel it. >> of course, here we are seeing the first call to arms, call to order among members of all of the armed forces. equally interspersed, down the east front stairs. james taylor, we have a few seconds here. as a son of the american south, someone to whom civil rights mattered growing up in the south. >> it's true. i just wish my dad were alive. it would mean the world to him. it would be a thrill to him. it means the world to my mom. she's still with us. and she's -- she was on the picket lines in chapel hill, north carolina, in 1959. i remember it well. it is remarkable to think of -- from that perspective, to think of this day. yeah.

>> it does complete the line and we turn our attention now to the president's upcoming review of armed forces. one more word about this day. we have been given in washington, d.c. -- i'm looking behind us at our camera location. the clouds that were over us have cleared. it is really turning into for january a delightful, delightful -- still cold, but nice afternoon. kelly o'donnell? >> i'm joined by the most senior republican in the united states senate, orrin hatch. who's begun his seventh term. you have seen the arc of when both parties have gotten along very well. social relationships and time when they haven't so much. where do you think they can go in terms of building personal relationships with your party? >> i think a lot depends on the president, and i see an open

door that he is opening today. i hope he can do some things that are in the best interest of our country. i think we have to change things around here. just too much animosity, too much bad feeling toward each other. maybe a little bit too much politics. i'd like to see us work together. >> do you think republicans have to do more in that area? >> yeah, i think both sides do. you can't tango with one person. you have to be able to -- you have to be able to work together. there are a lot of things we can work together on and we should be. it's the big ones where you have a lot of difficulty. the things that involve -- >> a lot of expectation that immigration could be something that could be moved forward. >> well, i think so. i wrote the original dream act. and then they fooled around with it and i couldn't support it. but we're actually doing some things right now on immigration. and i believe we have some new young people here who can really add a lot. marco rubio is a perfect illustration.

he's bright, he's smart. i think he can help bring republicans along and we have some good people in the democrats who can do the same thing. >> thanks for your insight, senator. always good to see you. >> nice to be with you. >> thank you. >> thanks. i'm noting that noted musical lover, orrin hatch. we'll go to the break. thank you, james taylor. our coverage will continue after this. we'll go right back to the white house, chuck todd. ♪ hungry for the best? it's eb. want to give your family the very best

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♪ ♪ glory, glory, hallelujah his truth is marching on ♪ >> probably not the most artful phrase to use, but the brooklyn tabernacle killed it today with

a beautiful song. a beautiful song. let's go to chuck todd. he's at his post at the white house. awfully close across the street at the reviewing stand. they'll be getting to you in due time. >> it's a punchy crowd. i want to warn you, they have been out here three or four hours. so they have been doing various cheers back and forth. barack and obama, and michelle and obama. it is sunny and cold, mind you, brian. to let folks know, especially for the folks who have been sitting out here four hours. some special guests get into the reviewing stand. some of the living members of the tuskegee airmen, they're going to be sitting behind me. watching the parade with the president. we have seen will.i.am, that got the crowd really excited as you might imagine. so going to be an interesting, eclectic group of people watching the parade with the president. >> we have 25 recipients of the

medal of honor in washington for inauguration day. that is almost exactly one-third of all the living recipients of the medal of honor. they were sitting today with 15 original members of the tuskegee airmen. so all of them assembled for the inaugural ball, having to do with american heroes. >> brian? >> yes? >> a new medal of honor recipient is going to be honored this week at the white house. a living member. >> from afghanistan, as the business of the presidency gets back underway. chuck, we hear some of those chants behind you. >> well, a andrea just got here. i think they're screaming andrea. >> a lot of that is crowd reaction. i have seen that happen to andrea. >> we need crowd control. >> so andrea, how was your trek from the capitol up town? >> it was terrific. i thought i had to trek, but they had a bus. i was in that bus, you know?

just the first time i have been a vip. it was great. didn't have to walk. it's much warmer, the sun has come out. >> so where are you? tell us where you are physically. >> i am about foo from chuck todd. we're sitting -- we're sitting right next to each other. right acroix from the reviewing stands. we can look across the way. and when the first family gets here and gets into the reviewing stands. there was sort of a thin crowd along the way, but it's pumped up as we have been watching the coverage. more and more people coming out. people know you're in d.c., that there's going to ab long, congressional luncheon and a lot of speeches. but now that the parade is going to get underway, they're excited. you hear more four years and they got it. >> well, andrea, while you were talking we went briefly to a shot of the congressional leadership on the east front of the capitol. it can't be long now. we have established, andrea mitchell is alongside chuck todd, and a very large lens from

the associated press sharing the shot with andrea mitchell. we see the vice president and his wife. we will see the president and the first lady heading out to the back, loading into the vehicles that will make up the inaugural procession. luke russert is our man on the east front. luke, what can you see from your vantage point? >> well, brian, you see the congressional leaders that went there up on the steps of the east front. the president will come out there and review the troops. he will be meeting with some of the leaders, i believe the joint task force national capital regional component. there's a lot of the honor guard to the different branches lined up over to my right. when you see the honor guard and you see the president review these troops, there's about 300 of them. we expect to take four to five minutes. it will move with military presessiopr precisi precision. look at the very last one.

that's the company of the 39th state infantry, they still wear the traditional revolutionary war outfits if you will. so you'll see the tricornered hats. see red coats there. some real symbolism to show how far our republic has come from the revolutionary war. it's a more solemn occasion, everyone mindful of the sacrifices that the young men and women have made. they have been waiting here an hour and a half, two hours in the freezing cold. they have not moved. which is military protocol except for when they were ordered to march. looking straight ahead. not so much as wiping their nose. a real testament to the discipline instilled in them from the early ages of the boot camp. >> we will listen in as the commander of chief weighs in.

we have a moment here, michael beschloss has rejoined us. the topic of security came up during the previous two years. you have lived here for a long time. we have all witnessed our country change in various ways since 9/11. but this is a new record to me. i cannot remember a city as thoroughly locked down and at an

event as heavily defended as this one. >> i think that's right. one of the most amazing things you look back at the pictures, for instance, of john kennedy's inauguration, 1961. he and jack, you know, riding in the open car all the way down. you know, almost -- very little security. people didn't even think of it four years later after john kennedy's assassination. lyndon johnson -- >> the first years of the bulletproof limousine was for president johnson.

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>> as the president makes his way to the limousine, the honor today falls to general michael whennington of the u.s. army who with the military district of washington gets to be his escort this part of the way. michael beschloss, that's about as heavy on military tradition as we get for this event, but it's the only branch of the active duty service where they're allowed to and actually asked to wear wigs. >> that's exactly right. i don't think we'll see that in any others either, on any other occasions. wouldn't have it any other way given american history. doing it is another early bow to american history, because presidential inaugurations east front of the capitol until ronald reagan in 1981 and moved to the other side not by reagan but before he was a sure winner

in 10 in 1980. >> all of the vehicles in the motorcade and henceforth in his presidency, they have these taxation without representation license plates. tell us about that. >> a strong debate gong on. really as long as washington, d.c. under home rule which is simply the mid 1970s which should d.c. have two senators and a governor, since residents of d.c. do pay taxes, they got the vote, were able to vote for president only as early as 1964 because the original idea was d.c. would be a federal district sort of ab extracted from the other 50 states. people who were here, however, say we pay taxes, we're americans, we deserve representation. taxation without representation has been on washington, d.c. license plates a long time. george w. bush did not use them for eight years and barack obama not for his first term and now he has begun. >> it is known in the secret

service the p.p.d. the closest circle around the president. they are added to on this day by agents from around the country and various divisions, including counterfeiting and intelligence and they have the route completely secured. the president is in the vehicle, all but impenetrable vehicle that that an atmosphere all its own and it's through those windows that most people, who are lining up along the parade route, will have to get their only glimpse of the man they have come to see. look at how many layers thick. that is active duty and reserve. some cadets from the service academies. on top of that state police, from, as far as we can tell, just about all 50 states. then you have local and federal law enforcement officials, as the specially tricked out cadillac gets under way.

part of this massive, massive motorcade. the motorcycles come first. sadly, another modern feature of the motorcade has been the addition of an ambulance bringing up the rear since the time of lyndon johnson. the agents will use the old-fashioned running boards on suvs behind the limousine and can jump on and off and the case the last several inaugurations. there is a camera truck as we are getting these pictures in front of the limousine. so we begin and it strikes me. i'm joined by three other former fellow white house correspondents here on this distinguished panel. david gregory and savannah guthrie and tom brokaw. tom, things have changed in this regard over the years. >> i think what we need to remind our audience here, we don't know the threat level that the secret service is hearing. >> that's right. >> it does seem like it's excessive on many occasions but, at the same time, they are responding to what may be in the

air or intercepts they have picked up in some fashion. unfortunately, it's become a fixed part of american life. as we all know, you can't go to an armted or check into a corporate place someplace. i was thinking the other day, nothing moves in america without being recorded on a video camera. that's good for law enforcement because they pick up a lot of people but it is invasive, after all. it's a shame you come to the nation's capital and so many restrictions on when you can go and where you can go. having said that, we live in a dangerous world especially those who want to do harm, especially in the nation's capital. >> what perpetuates to take the other side, argues devil's advocate, this huge city estate we have built up since 9/11 is the not knowing that someone does know the threat level, or lack of it. a lot of questions aren't asked and the business of government, it's a blackout item. these are often not line items

in the budget that are using our taxpayer money. >> i quite agree with you. in fact, i thought at the convention this summer, there was real access going on when the president wasn't even in town, as a matter of fact. and what i have learned, having talked to state and local officials is they get in on the federal largess. they are asked to provide certain number of officers so they load it up and all get their budgets padded out by having something like that going on. i talk to a lot of very conservative security-minded republicans who have been involved in putting together conventions and they were very unhappy with the level of security that you couldn't go to a convention any more and have fun, because you spend 90% of your time checking your credentials, going through and giving up a lot of personal privacy. that's not what this country ought to be about. so it's tough, because we are living in this environment which there is a lot of danger but, at the same time, there is risk in everything that we do. >> yeah. the dirty little secret if your

city is bidding to get one of these qengs your city will shutdown down one of those four days. tamara hall is on the motorcade. >> reporter: we are hearing the first screams and because the president is just a few yards behind me and what we know is referred to as the beast. his official car. it's funny. you mentioned the day is delightful. i can say we saw the pageantry earlier and now seeing the passion as so many of these people will get a glimpse of this president and because the weather is so beautiful, compared to what we all experienced four years ago, there's a lot of speculation on social media and even the way we do communicate face-to-face, people have said do you think he is getting out more than twice? do you think it's possible he could walk the entire route, like jimmy carter 1.5 miles journey to the white house? i don't know about that. but certainly when you combine the weather and the beauty i didn't tell of the day and we

know this is the president's second term, there's a possibility that we might see him get out of that vehicle with the first lady once, twice, maybe even three times here. so that's a part of it but i got to tell you, brian, back to what i referred to as the passion. i'm looking at these faces of people from all parts of this country, all races, different ages, and there are smiles. many of them voted for the president, perhaps some of them did not, but they are here for this country and this so much represents who we are. we know that in 1865, that was the first year abraham lincoln second inauguration that african-americans were allowed to participate. in 1917, the first year women were allowed to participate in this inaugural parade. we saw the exit polling and those who came out and supported this president by those numbers. we heard the references to the gay community in his speech today reaching out. we know this is,holiday, the federal holiday commemorating the life and legacy of that great individual and it's tied into this moment, i think, people were tu mall and could

see the president from a distance but perhaps their children who have their iphones and their cameras can stand along this barricade and hopefully even lock eyes with this president of the united states. so quite an experience to be here and, to your point, this delightful day just adds to it all. >> back up. did i hear you say the way we used to communicate face-to-face? >> we used to do that and people would come up to a reporter and talk to you and now they comment to us on twitter and facebook. i was reading the twitter account for nbc and msnbc and people were speculating whether the people would take advantage of the weather. since i'm 42 and been at this game a long time and talked to people face-to-face and asked them and many of them said why not see the first lady in that beautiful dress and the president walk out and beam those smiles to these folks who just want to get a glimpse and be a part of what this is which

is the american process. this is who we are and today on a day like -- hi. people are even waving at me so that is how desperate they are. they want a glimpse and happiness and waiting to see the president, brian. >> remember, you tried to drop the age bomb, not me. tamara hall, along the parade route, thank you. you look at the phalanx. we always use that word every year of harley-davidson, their factory keeping harley-davidson. i'm looking the man hole cover in the center of the picture. even those are welded shut the length of this motorcade. >> i know. given the security situation, the security environment, it's a great active confidence and faith that the president and first lady so often get out of the car and walk the parade route. >> that's true. >> so i know there are a lot of people lining this and hoping they will. just some of the revolutionary war guards that we saw a few

moments ago to this great tradition of a parade down pennsylvania avenue, i think this whole parade is a patriotic day and speaks to our tradition and i couldn't help but reflect about the traditions we have cut through the ages and bind us together and i think that is why we are here today and i think that is why people tune in. it's nice to have one day out of 365 that we hope transcends politics or partisanship. >> if kids are home from school today, it's part of the martin luther king holiday. please get them in front of the tv all or part of today because it's about time they saw americans behaving well and something we do well. >> if we do see president obama walking later which i think conceivably be possibly, that falls on a tradition that is pretty new. jimmy carter in 1977 as was mentioned walked almost the entire length of that avenue and

amazing that happened given the security situation because that was january 1977, less than two years earlier, gerald ford had had two very serious near assassination attempts. even in that steer secret service were willing to allow a president to do that. >> you see the speed at which is travel. no faster than which the speed the average human can walk and david gregory, thes really to give people who have shown up a chance to see him. you'll note no crowd allowed on one side of the street. it's that tightly controlled there on the left of your picture. >> you know, face time is important. in so many different settings. i spoke to a member of the president's cabinet who said, you know, whether this is a flaw or a virtue, this president really doesn't see a lot of need for face time. he doesn't have that great desire to be associated that way and his ego is digit frfferent other politicians that way. i don't know if this is a test but people do line this route because they want to see their

president. as savannah noted, this is a day people are rooting for the president, whoever he is and want him to succeed but this idea that people want to be close to him and have some connection to him, that goes for the public at large and it sort of raises this question that he continue to have about him which is the extent to which he likes politics and likes being a political figure which is, i think, different from being a leader of the country. how much he really apologize the gamesmanship and the people aspect of politics. >> brian, one of the things i've been thinking about when we heard from tamron is the morph speed at which communication has changed. we talk about ronald reagan and his impact on american plooliti. i went to iowa and i had to ask for fm/am radio because it didn't automatically come with the car. bill clinton's was the first one

streamed to the internet. think about the change that has occurred just in the past few years with our ability to communicate and share these experiences and at the same time, use that from mischief in our politics and sometimes in a very vicious fashion. >> a little bit of a throwback back in the luncheon we saw in the capitol with the president leading congress not long ago when they presented the president with a color photograph of his inauguration. to think 40 years ago that would have been a technological feat to have that framed in a few minutes. nowadays, maybe not quite so much. >> i'm surprised they didn't text it to him. >> we have reached the point in our coverage where savannah guthrie is leaving to fly on savannah one north to new york to be in position for tomorrow's "today" show having pulled a double shift for the last two days. >> this is on the official program. >> yes. >> indeed. >> what is really sad, brian,

it's 3:30 p.m. and almost my bedti bedtime. >> you have shuttles to get you there. >> thank you for having me. >> safe flight and have a great show tomorrow on "today." >> thanks for having me be with you. >> i understand tom brokaw is flying with you so have some peanuts for him. >> no, you will me one more time on "nightly news." you'll be tied up doing "nightly news." the american legion is having a ball and honors medal honor winners and have them walk into t the hall about 6:15 tonight and i'll be representing you as well on that and come up and try to tie up the second half of "nightly news." >> 25 of our recipients in one place and about the largest gathering of medal recipients in place among the 79 living recipients. we are going to get into the -- more of the heart of the crowd

here shortly. who do we have along the route? you see how early we are in this. natalie morales is our next correspondent up. natalie, just picture making this trip on foot and that is the forward progress they are make i making. >> that's right. 1.2 miles' moving fairly slowly so everybody can get a glimpse. you see the parade now well under way we are still waiting for the president's motorcade to make its way up here. a lot of young people here marking the occasion because they know it's a moment in history they won't forgot. >> four years ago, there were so many people here.

i think what i remember the most and the coolest is when they had the prayer and everyone kind of joined hands together and it was just a really -- i felt part of my country and really cool. i'll never forget that. >> you wanted to be here today and not miss it. why do you feel this is important for you? >> i had to come again because i feel like this is the second time an african-american president has done something like this. i wanted to be a part of it because it will never happen again, so i have to come and had to come. >> you brought some family with you? >> yes, i did. >> a lot of college students in this crowd as well. a young man here. why did you want to be here today? >> i think it's a big moment and the first election i was able to vote in so possible a part of that is amazing. >> what do you think so far? >> i think it's really nice. i love it. a beautiful day. sunny. i don't know. i can't wait to see what is next. >> thank you very much. enjoy the moment.

brian, i'll send it back to you. >> natalie, we will come back when they get slover to you. back at the capitol a man we saw part of the luncheon and the sendoff, eric cantor, the leader of the house of representatives. let me start off with a rude question. what were you and bill clinton talking about? we saw you on camera. >> actually, i was talking to him about the clinton global initiative and the good that group is doing and i congratulated him on it and told him i thought it was something i think all of us could look to as a model. >> i tell you what what our group was talking about is we were looking at all of you and the various combinations of people spending time together over lunch today and on the inaugural platform. why can't there be more cooperation? why can't you folks in both parties, especially up there in the house, get along?

>> i think today was a great example of the fact we can get along. i think there's so many hundreds of thousands of people descending upon the nation's capital because this is the day for america and it really doesn't matter who you voted for, which side you're on, but coming together in the spirit of what is good for the country. i know that the electorate sent us all a message in november and that is they want to see a government that works. i know the speaker of the house joins me in saying to our colleagues and the senate and those on the other side of the aisle that we want to go and get down to business and actually produce results for the people who were sent here. >> you're just off a retreat, i know, where the house republicans kind of caucused and talked about the future and i know you've offered a solution to the debt ceiling which was our next looming crisis. do you think this is a new period we are entering into?

>> i'm hopeful we can be focused on solutions and going forward. i think the american people deserve no less. there are some very vexing problems facing our country. brian, there has been a lot of discussion about those throughout the last election, as well as the last couple of months. hopefully, we turn the page and try to solve those problems, as you suggest, house republicans are coming forward with a solution to get things back to working, so that, frankly, more americans lives begin to work again. >> how does it feel for your party? the white house correspondent for "the new york times" was with us and saying this is the first time in so many years where the defeated candidate, in this case, mitt romney, is not on the inaugural stand and not part of today and out in la jolla, california. it ended strangely for the republican side this time. how do you feel for your party? >> you know, i'm confident in our party's vision and constitutionally limited

government and providing the solutions we need to the vexing problems. i think we are committed to working with the other side and working with the president and setting aside differences and looking for ways we can both have areas of commonality. again, i do believe our party, having reclaimed the majority in the house again, is obliged to the voters who sent us there to put common sense reforms in to solve some of these house. >> the majority leader from the commonwealth of virginia, eric cantor, thank you, sir, for joining us on this day. >> thank you, brian. >> let's go back down to tamron hall. >> we are in front of the u.s. courthouse. the president has made that turn, if you will. you get this beautiful shot of the capital right behind him. now we see the crowd, 10, 12, 20 people deep.

we have seen folks on the roofs of buildings who have allowed their employees to go up on top. we are near the canadian embassy where there are tons of people and i know not a technical number for you but people on the roof of that people and folks are deep and you hear them starting to wave and scream at the president as his vehicle, brian, we're very close, brian. here we go. listen up. >> barack obama and the first lady, michelle obama. >> here we are. maybe ten feet in front of the president's vehicle. you heard the announcement of his name and the reaction from the crowd at this point. an absolutely beautiful day for this occasion and it is a beautiful moment to look out and see a sea of people from all walks of life here, enjoying this moment of celebration for our nation you heard the

announcer there. joe biden and dr. jill biden as well. we are picking up speed and waiting for the big moment, the anticipation, obviously, building in hopes that the president and the first lady will make a little bit of a stroll on this nice washington, d.c. day, brian. >> thanks, amron. i think this means you're near where natalie morales is? >> yeah, we just saw the motorcade go by. as you heard, tamron talking about the crowd cheering. we saw that. now we are seeing people quickly trying to run down a little bit further down the path as they break away from where they were to try to get another vantage point to get another spot where they can perhaps see the president and the first lady perhaps emerge from the car, because that is what everybody is hoping for is that money shot when the president and the first lady get out of the car. as you remember, they did it twice four years ago, so a lot of anticipation. people wanting to get that shot and we remember that happened, i

believe it was further down along the street near freedom plaza four years ago and happened right around there where the president got out of the car, so i imagine everybody is trying to hustle over there to make sure they get that point of view. but a lot of people still sticking around for the parade but as you see, a lot of people also moving to try to find another good spot where they can get in on the action. brian? >> thank you, natalie. when you grow up as a motorist in new jersey you feel that color of blue more than any other so i notice them. >> i'm sure you never had a run-in with the police at all. >> of course, not. >> they have picked up a little bit speed here. >> they have. exactly this part of pennsylvania avenue, i think our viewers can see on the screen, how beautiful it is. it wasn't always this way. 1961 when john kennedy and jackie kennedy were riding back from john kennedy's inaugust race, he looked at those buildings and lining this part of the avenue were two parlors

and various souvenir stores. he gave a lot of attention to the redevelopment of pennsylvania avenue. it took a very long time, but whatter seeing on the screen is a result. >> he signed a young promising man named daniel patrick moynahan to that job. i'll add pawn shops to that list. it was a very seedy stretch of a very beautiful city and it has been completely reborn. david? >> we got a glimpse how well positioned the canadian interviewembassy in washington, d.c. there you can see people on the balconies. it's quite a thing in washington. you can imagine, a lot of law firms along the route. judges chambers as well and the

united states courthouse. >> you're saying there's parties going on? >> there my be some partying. >> beverages being consumed? >> maybe professional related. the other thing is the willard hotel which is where abraham lincoln stayed the night before his inauguration in 1861. >> and as you no doubt know, the word lobbying came to be. >> indeed. which had a slightly happier connotation in those days than it often does these days but the idea people would sit in the lobby and try to accost the senator or member of congress. this is never done nowadays. >> of course not. >> but try to stem their air to advance their own private interest. >> while we are tour good night i the anitaive museum is right by there. >> the late great friend of ours

tim russert to imprint the commemoration on that building. it's ranked up there among the to be tourist destination for good reason when people come to visit this great city. they learn a lot about the news media there. but you're right. our neighbors to the north have a good piece of property. >> i think they better keep their relationship with us if they want to keep that building, don't you think? >> willie geist, they are coming by you. >> the armored limousine known as the beast is coming up our way. jimmy carter set a precedent in 1977 whether he got out of the car with his wife rosalyn carter and his daughter amy. this is the exact spot outside the u.s. navy memorial where four years ago, the president did get out of the limousine and

say hello to some of the folks here who have been here before dawn. cool moments with this crowd. you talked about the kids being here. a young 6-year-old girl named sage from columbia, maryland. she passed up five rows by perfect strangers who said she ought to see this and here she is on the front row watching the president of the united states and the first lady of the united states passing her by and a day she won't soon forget. here he is. the president of the united states and the first lady. you can hear roars from this crowd, brian. >> as we continue to point out, law enforcement, those are utah state troopers, some of whom saluting and others to watch the crowd. from willie geist's camera angle is perfectly average camera

angle. the picture that most people will get along this route. the glass has to be so thick because it's bullet-proof, heavily tinted green but you do get to see the president. >> so different when the president and first lady would sit on a raised seat in one of those lincoln convertibles. in terms of walking, that goes back to thomas jefferson who felt that john adams and george washington in their inaugurations had gotten too regal so he decided to strip it down and ride up the hill on his horse and walk to show his closeness to the people. i think he missed a bet, though, because jefferson was someone who felt that presidents should be very involved with members of congress and i think he underestimated the potential of an inauguration to bring that about. >> i guess when we talk about the jimmy carter precedent, it was really during the limousine era and also was known for its rare pda among first couples. they held hands most of the route and that wasn't always

done. tamron hall, how are things in the motorcade? >> things are fantastic. we are in front of the fbi headquarters. you're seeing series of reactions from people. i think one of the things that i am marveled at is how many people have iphones and iphone technology. here we go, brian! the vehicles are being approached. the crowd is screaming. brian, this is our moment. here we go. there you have it. the first lady of the united states and the president making their first exit from the vehicle, as anticipated. here we are, brian. they are holding hands as you can see and walking along this blue line that illuminate for

lack of a better description, the parade route. there they are. this couple that we witnessed four years ago with their young children, coming to this town and, now, the first lady and the president making this walk for the final time from the distance that we see here. they are smiling. as you can see, they are waving and the crowd, as we say, is going crazy right now, brian. enthusiastic, happy, and there are smiles as far as you can see and cameras. i've never seen so many 6-year-olds with iphones that can snap pictures on their phone. it's so exciting and an inspiration to be here and watch these faces, accept and embrace this first family. >> thank you, tamron. we are all taking this in at the same time. we have sort of a camera that is able to walk out ahead of the first couple and kind of revolve around them. that is the fbi building to the left.

>> interesting as you watch these images. the newness of this couple four years ago and the impact they were having as well, the political impact. it is striking not to get into michael's territory here, but the second time in our history we have had three consecutive two-term presidents. >> absolutely. so much political ferment and that measure of consistency is noted. >> the veteran photographer is backtracking in front of the first couple and he is the gentleman allowed to get the closest to take pictures. i think the president's lead agent is the gentleman with the goatee to the president's side, walking a comfortable, but safe, distance alongside the couple. michael, to david's point, that is one of the great kind of misindicators about politics.

>> right. because, remember, the period of the late '80s and going back to the '70s, a period between the '70s and the first decade of the century where there was sort of a conventional wisdom we may be going through a period of one-term presidencies, but, in a way, this may be a case of an exception to the rule. if you look at the margins by which many of these presidents got off in the last 12 years or so, very close election in 2000 and very close election in 2004 and somewhat close election it seemed in 2012. in a way this may be to suggest a pattern. >> it's a beautiful picture. as we said, to have been blessed with this, considering erlgs th -- everything else that could be going on in a january afternoon. what a beautiful afternoon in washington. beautiful afternoon. cold, yes, but the sun is out. >> brian, there is something

very retro, about this. we like this pageantry. we like the tradition. we talk so much about security, we want our president to get out and walk a little bit with the first lady so they can be seen, so we can have all of these cultural reference points and historical reference points and we got that and can see it again so we can make these comparisons. >> guys, give me a cross street. is that the justice department there? >> and a little bit further in the rear is the national archives where the site, you well know, the declaration of the independence and the constitution why their provisions for what a president does and how he is inaugurated so it is turning full circle. >> what is written is what is past is prologue. and something we keep forgetting in american history. >> none of the three of us will disagree with that. >> in politics, if it happened before, it's a good chance it will happen again. this is just a beautiful live

picture. >> i think, david, you're absolutely right. one of the calming and inspiring things about this is that we did see presidents and scenes like this and sometimes first ladies walking in parades this way, and so much more often is just the face of the president behind that very thick bullet-proof glass in that big car and nice to return to the early retirements. >> there is one of those david growing parties going on. >> it wasn't wild enough. you talked about this before, brian. here is a president who has just been re-elected by the american people. in a downeconomy, when history was against him in that respect, given the economic conditions. overcame that and defied history again. he has a renewed sense of confidence, as any second-term president does. so how are the thoughts different going through his mind now than they were four years ago? >> that is right.

are they coming up on the post office on the first lady's side there? >> yes, they are. >> which i've seen an awful lot of inaugural parades over the years. >> tamron hall reminds on her vehicle, which has been doing a little weaving in and out to get the best camera shot of the president. tamron? >> reporter: hi. >> hey, tamron? >> reporter: hi. we are here in another area, brian, where it's deafening roar. the president and first lady have walked two blocks now. people are wondering with they going to stay out of the vehicle and continue on. the crowds now where we are located, in front of the old post office. i don't know, maybe 30, 40 people deep at this point. we are kind of stopping and starteding so forget the jerky nature of this live hit here.

you can imagine the pace has changed greatly. a slow pace to this caravan, this procession, so these people have an opportunity to soak in what they are seeing which is a leisurely stroll by the president and the first lady on this amazing day. i don't think you could have script this better being his second inauguration, the weather, and watching them stroll like a lovely couple, quite honestly, who is enjoying washington, d.c. except joined by a million people and million cameras. if you look at their faces, it is a beautiful stroll by this company who has gone through so much. i lived in chicago and watched them make their way through the political systems of that town and now in this town and know the worldwide impact of politics that the president has had. we are watching them make this stroll. it appears they may be getting back in that vehicle. if they get in, they may get out a second time as they did four

years ago, brian. >> they are getting in. as you were talking, we saw the lead agent talk to the microphone and as the call went out, the car stopped and the doors opened. the doors are closed and he'll get back in and they will be back under way. as everyone has mentioned, what a great thrill for all of these people along the parade route. look at those taillights. look at the amount of active duty and reserve military uniforms who form many parts of this parade route, the kind of first ring of security assisted by law enforcement, cadets. now we can hear some music. ♪ >> it is a test in washington,

d.c., particularly in the northwest to guess who is in the passing motorcade by the number of cars. >> absolutely. we did it yesterday. my wife and i were trying to count off the vehicles. we were trying to figure out who it was. we knew it wasn't the president, but it's -- >> deceptive one is if it's the first lady. bigger than average. bigger the vp's motorcade. >> indeed. and certainly not the secretary of agriculture. >> no. >> it's often when people are aggravated when they are sitting in traffic. couldn't we just put them in a cab? i remember as recently as the carter situation as you saw many of the sharp-shooters on the rooftops in washington, d.c. today. president carter used to call for a plain sedan and with one other chase vehicle, he was able to go out to dinner with the first lady. but that is really part of the

past. >> it is. even going back earlier times, ten days before president kennedy's assassination, he went to a trip to new york and election coming up in 1964. he thought an awful lot of voters get angry when a lot of traffic is held up because of a presidential motorcade. for the first time he decided to just have his car and the cars along with him just go through normal new york traffic, even stopping at stop lights. and days later came dallas. >> remember, brian, we saw the president before his first state of the union. made a point and all presidents go through this, that early on, the isolation, that inability to have any normal interaction to be able to take a walk. initially, i think they went to a restaurant that is really close by, within a block, and they had a little bit of a celebration and i think they even curtailed that. you don't hear about them going out to restaurants very often. so that part of it is difficult. >> let's go to our friend erica

hill who is steadfast and standing by at the plaza all day. erica, your moment has arrived. >> we are here at freedom plaza. a couple of minutes ago they were two blocks away and it was announced the president and first lady were announced. we started hearing cheers in the crowds of barack obama. that quickly turned to "yes, we can." then they had to wait a moment and they are making their way up here. the president and first lady just got back in the car but there is still hope among the people here that they will perhaps get out again and they will be able to see a little bit more of the president and the first lady. you've been talking lot tharis afternoon about the coming together on this inauguration day. it is a day for all americans and not a partisan event and we are hearing that in the crowd as well. one woman told me she appreciated the president who is behind us now was talking about this being a time for healing. she felt he was setting the table as this being a time for renewal. so we can see the president

making his way. he is just below us here on pennsylvania avenue. a big smile on his face. he is waving and let me tell you some of the smiles on the people in the crowd are large. people beaming and jumping up and down and very excited to see the president. some of these folks, this is the second time they have been here for an inauguration for president barack obama and a lot of excitement in the crowd today. they are not feeling the chill that has crept back in the air. jumping up and down and waving american flags. we also saw earlier, i saw people holding up blankets with the image of martin luther king, jr. freedom plaza named in his honor, brian. >> erica, thank you. we should note there is a light on the president in the back seat to help people see him and

the only other passenger in the kind of passenger compartment in the back, it's an amazingly narrow car because of all the armor. there isn't much room for passengers in the back at the end of the day. there is pete, the photographer, who is facing the first couple and getting one assume is amazing pictures of them waving outline the window. >> we have known the white house photographers over the years. if you cover the white house, you get to know them quite well. most people don't know here are the people who capture these iconic moments and they have a close relationship with the first family, yet they are almost invisible in their lives and, yet, they are there and watching recently when i interviewed the president you don't realize he is there and he's in the middle of everything, capturing the moment. really, really well. >> there has been some hubbub

with our still photographer and video friends in the press corps that this white house has relied too heavily on our friend pete and his photos when normally some opportunities for free press to photograph the president would have existed. >> right. >> that debate will go on forever. >> i'm more for having more than just pete to go on the record. >> we should ask -- he was the one who was ronald reagan's photographer in 1980. he had a lot of the iconic photographs that helped ronald reagan be seen in the monumental way that people saw him. president obama did not choose him by accident. >> there is a brief shot of the british. and now tamron hall, set the scene here. she continues to roll along on the motorcade. we are coming up to both andrea mitchell and chuck todd are.